Japan Rewrite AFC History With Four-Goal Tunisia Rout

The Samurai Blue did not just beat Tunisia — they made history. In a scintillating display at Estadio Monterrey, Japan became the first Asian Football Confederation nation to score four goals in a single World Cup match, demolishing the North Africans with speed, precision and ruthless efficiency. Ayase Ueda’s brace, Daichi Kamada’s rocket in the fourth minute and Junya Ito’s composed finish completed a performance Japan fans will talk about for decades.

Kamada struck four minutes in — Japan’s fastest-ever World Cup goal — when Keito Nakamura’s low cross reached his heel in the penalty area. Ueda doubled the lead in the 31st minute when his shot squeezed through the legs of Tunisian defender Montassar Talbi. The 1,000th match in World Cup history witnessed one-way traffic: Japan produced 11 shots to Tunisia’s two, with an xG of 2.07 against a meagre 0.05 for the North Africans.

Junya Ito rolled a clinical finish past goalkeeper Dahmen to make it 3-0 on 69 minutes before Ueda completed his brace seven minutes from time, looping a header into the corner from Yuki Sano’s right-wing delivery. Tunisia’s elimination was confirmed, while Japan leapfrogged Sweden into second place in Group F — a group featuring two traditionally strong European nations in Netherlands and Sweden. Hajime Moriyasu’s side are playing with a swagger that demands respect.

Japan enter the final group matchday as one of the tournament’s form teams. Their blend of lightning pace, tactical discipline and clinical finishing makes them a genuine threat to any opponent they face in the knockout rounds.