Sweden crushes Tunisia in World Cup opener: Ayari brace and Isak goal. The Swedish national team started the World Cup with a convincing 5-1 victory over Tunisia. Alexander Isak found the net in his debut match of the tournament, while Yasin Ayari scored twice. Graham Potter's team now leads Group F.
The Swedish national team made a powerful start at the World Cup, thrashing Tunisia 5-1 in Monterrey. As early as the seventh minute, Yasin Ayari opened the scoring, capitalizing on a defensive error and sending the ball into the top corner. This goal was the 22-year-old midfielder's first at international level and made him the youngest Swedish goalscorer at the World Cup since 1990.
By the middle of the first half, Alexander Isak, who recently transferred to Liverpool for £125 million, doubled the lead. The forward took his chance after a run down the left flank and a precise shot into the bottom corner, finishing a move with Viktor Gyökeres, who skillfully held the ball and set up his teammate for the shot.
Tunisia managed to pull one back before the break: defender Omar Rekik converted a free kick delivered by Hannibal Mejbri. However, after the break, Sweden quickly regained control. Isak provided the assist for Gyökeres, who scored the third goal. Later, in the 84th minute, substitute Mattias Svanberg found the net just 12 seconds after coming on—a record for the fastest goal by a substitute in World Cup history.
Ayari sealed the match with a long-range strike to complete his brace, making the score a rout. With this victory, Graham Potter's team topped Group F. Sweden's next match will be against the Netherlands in Houston on June 20, while Tunisia will face Japan.
Attention to national teams' performances at major tournaments is traditionally high, especially after recent FIFA decisions that have already affected the kits of other teams — for example, the Egyptian national team had to urgently change their uniform before the start of the World Cup. This highlights how details and preparation can make a difference on the world stage.
For reference: the 2026 World Cup will be held in North America, with group stage matches distributed among cities in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The tournament features 48 teams, a record for the World Cup. Sweden previously reached the World Cup semifinals in 1994, while Tunisia has never advanced past the group stage.
