Japan Dominates Tunisia with Convincing 4-0 Victory in World Cup Match

Collapse all posts

off

Sort

Sort posts

Filter Posts

All

137

Key Events

37

Match reports

2

Tunisia vs Japan

28

Goals

11

Ecuador vs Curaçao

38

Netherlands vs Sweden

30

Germany vs Côte d'Ivoire

24

Results

2

FT: Japan 4 - 0 Tunisia

H

By Henry Hanson

The final whistle blows on the most convincing of Japanese victories.

The Samurai Blue hardly broke a sweat in that second period, toying with their Tunisian opponents before striking with two late, beautifully constructed goals.

Junya Ito got on the end of a superb dinked through ball from Ayase Ueda and side footed it home, before Ueda rose high at the back post to round out a highly impressive showing.

Those goals came after Daichi Kamada and Ueda had scored to put the Japanese 2-0 up at half time.

It is the first time Japan, or any Asian team for that matter, has scored four times in a single World Cup match.

Tunisia, who hardly threw a punch under new coach Herve Renard, is bundled out of the tournament.

90' We're into six minutes of stoppage time

H

By Henry Hanson

And Tunisia has an opportunity from the dead ball.

Hannibal Mejbri lifts in a floated delivery from close to halfway and it's an easy claim for Zion Suzuki.

Japan has four! Ueda has a brace!

H

By Henry Hanson

Tunisia is once again cut open by a scything Japanese attack.

Kaishu Sano is played in on the right hand side, and he does well to stand up a tempting cross to the back post.

Ayase Ueda rises high and produces a very cute lofted header back across goal and into the net.

4-0.

Nothing short of what Japan deserves.

The Samurai Blue becomes the first Asian team to score four goals in a single World Cup match.

80' We're into the final ten minutes in Monterey

H

By Henry Hanson

Hannibal Mejbri, who has fought pretty valiantly for Tunisia today, is brought down not far past halfway and his side has an opportunity from the dead ball.

It's a deep floated ball, which Zion Suzuki comes and claims with the second bite of the cherry.

Yuito Suzuki and Ayumu Seko are on for Japan.

74' We're into the final quarter of the day

H

By Henry Hanson

We're back from the break and Tunisia creates a rare opportunity.

Ismael Ghabri pulls his shot wide but the offside flag is up in any case.

Japan makes a couple substitutions - Junnosuke Suzuki and Yukinari Sugawara are on in place of Ritsu Doan and Daichi Kamada.

70' And we're off for a drink

H

By Henry Hanson

Japan 3-0 up as we reach the final break of the day.

GOAL! JAPAN WITH ANOTHER BEAUTY!

H

By Henry Hanson

It's another beautiful, patient move from Japan, another smart finish, and another memorable goal for the Samurai Blue.

Ayase Ueda receives the ball into feet and manages to chip a perfectly weighted through ball over the top of the Tunisian defence.

It's Junya Ito running onto it, and the clever wide man does well to take the ball in his stride, hold off a Tunisian challenge and calmy side-foot the ball past Aymen Dahmen into the net.

It's 3-0.

60' Tunisia with a rare raid forward after Japanese control

H

By Henry Hanson

Japan has taken its foot off the pedal a touch in this second period, more than happy to knock the ball around midfield and wait for an opening further forward.

Tunisia pushes the ball out for a corner, which is worked short to Ritsu Doan.

Doan attempts to float in a cross, but it's blocked by the first man.

Tunisia breaks well down the left and Ali Abdi gets to the byline and attempts a cutback.

Doan is back and sliding to block the cross with his body.

There's a half shout for handball.

Nothing doing.

50' Tunisia fashions a chance

H

By Henry Hanson

A promising push forward for Tunisia early in the second half, with Hannibal Mejbri unable to get a shot away after a cutback into the penalty area.

Much more of that needed for the Tunisians.

48' Tanaka goes close

H

By Henry Hanson

Japan's Ao Tanaka has a little time outside the penalty area and fires in a low shot towards goal.

It skids along the turf and flies just wide of the post.

A diving Aymen Dahmen was probably not getting to that one.

Half-time changes for Tunisia

H

By Henry Hanson

We're back underway for the second half in Monterey, and Herve Renard makes his first substitutions as Tunisia boss.

It is Ismael Ghabri and Mohamed Amine Ben Hmida entering the game, with Dylan Brown and Elias Saad making way.

HT stats: Japan dominant in Monterey

H

By Henry Hanson

Hard to see a way back into this one for Tunisia., who have offered next to nothing going forward and have struggled to keep up with their opponents while defending, chasing more than the odd shadow underneath the floodlights in Monterey.

Japan unsurprisingly bossing the half-time stats.

Expected goals: JAP 1.27 - 0.01 TUN

Shots: JAP 5 - 1 TUN

Shots on goal: JAP 3 - 1 TUN

Big chances: JAP 2 - 0 TUN

Possession: JAP 66% - 34% TUN

Accurate passes: JAP 266 - 188 TUN

HT: Japan 2 - 0 Tunisia

H

By Henry Hanson

Dominant, dominant stuff from Japan in that first half.

They're so quick, so incisive, so lethal, and look to be well and truly on their way to victory in Monterey.

For Tunisia, they'll be thankful to have reached halftime only two goals down.

45' We're into four minutes of added times

H

By Henry Hanson

There's been a little lull in the game since that second Japan goal, with the Samurai Blue largely content to control and circulate the ball in midfield.

We're into four minutes of added time at the end of the first half.

38' Ito slaloms through them

H

By Henry Hanson

Junya Ito picks up the ball near the touchline on the right, sees a little space ahead of him, and charges into it.

He proceeds to breeze past a couple Tunisian challenges and make his way into the box.

The Genk wide man does his best to pull the ball back, but the moment just about gets away from him.

Exciting, incisive stuff from the breathtaking Ito.

WHAT A GOAL! JAPAN GOES 2-0 UP!

H

By Henry Hanson

What a wonderful goal from Japan.

The Samurai Blue stream forward once again and Tunisia is caught a little light at the back.

It's Ayase Ueda with the ball at the edge of the penalty area. He has options ahead of him, but opts against playing the pass.

And with good reason!

Ueda lets fly, arrowing the ball across the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

A brilliant strike and a deserved 2-0 lead for Japan.

27' We're back underway

H

By Henry Hanson

We return from the hydration break with Tunisia looking for a little more thrust moving forward.

And it's a promising beginning to the second quarter for Tunisia, with Hannibal Mejbri and Ali Abdi combining down the left.

It's the most dangerous Tunisia has looked since Hannibal's early shot, but it is well dealt with by the Japanese defence.

24' Quarter-time in Monterey

H

By Henry Hanson

Wow, what an opening 24 minutes for Japan.

They look so well-drilled, so quick - Tunisia will count themselves lucky to not be further behind.

20' Japan flashing forward impressively

H

By Henry Hanson

Tunisia is in desperate need of some sort of rhythm right now, and has a rare raid forward stopped in its tracks by a solid Japanese challenge.

The men in blue spring forward in a flash, and play a tempting ball over the top of the Tunisian defence.

Junya Ito is in a race with Aymen Dahmen, who charges out from the Tunisian goal and ultimately clears the danger.

Japan is looking so, so impressive right now.