World Cup 2026: Sweden Outclass Tunisia 5-1 in Group F Opener

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By Sedara Philip

Tunisia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign got off to a disastrous start on Monday evening as they were comprehensively beaten 5-1 by a rampant Sweden side in their opening Group F encounter at Estadio Monterrey.

A brace from Yasin Ayari, coupled with goals from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Mattias Svanberg, secured a commanding victory for the Scandinavians, who produced one of the most impressive performances of the tournament so far.

Sweden wasted little time asserting their dominance and nearly opened the scoring inside the opening ten minutes. Gyokeres reacted quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area and directed a low effort towards goal, only for a Tunisian defender to make a heroic clearance off the line.

The breakthrough eventually arrived when Ayari showcased his quality with a stunning long-range strike. The midfielder pounced on a loose ball outside the box and curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner, giving Sweden a deserved lead.

The Europeans doubled their advantage in the 30th minute through Isak. The Newcastle United forward displayed excellent footwork as he weaved through several defenders before firing a precise low shot beyond goalkeeper Abdelmouhib Chamakh to make it 2-0.

With Sweden firmly in control, Tunisia struggled to create meaningful chances for much of the first half. However, the North Africans found a lifeline just before the interval.

In the 43rd minute, Hannibal Mejbri delivered a dangerous ball into the penalty area, where Omar Rekik rose highest to power a close-range header into the bottom corner. The goal reduced the deficit to 2-1 and gave Tunisia renewed hope heading into halftime.

Any belief of a comeback, however, was short-lived.

Sweden regained complete control shortly after the restart when a defensive error gifted Gyokeres a golden opportunity in the 59th minute. The striker seized possession inside the area and calmly slotted home to restore his side’s two-goal advantage at 3-1.

The goal drained Tunisia’s momentum, and Sweden continued to dominate possession and create chances as the African side struggled to respond.

The Scandinavians effectively ended the contest in the closing stages when Svanberg reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the box and fired into the bottom corner to make it 4-1. The goal was briefly reviewed by VAR, but after a lengthy check the referee allowed it to stand.

There was still time for Ayari to cap a memorable evening with his second goal of the match. Deep into stoppage time, the midfielder latched onto a perfectly weighted pass before driving a powerful shot inside the right post to complete a resounding 5-1 victory.

The emphatic win sends Sweden to the summit of the Group F standings and significantly strengthens their chances of progressing to the knockout rounds.

For Tunisia, the heavy defeat leaves them with plenty of work to do. The Carthage Eagles must now secure positive results against Japan and the Netherlands in their remaining group matches if they are to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.