Sweden crush Tunisia 5-1 in World Cup 2026 statement win

Sweden produced a commanding 5-1 victory over Tunisia on Sunday in a Group F match of the 2026 World Cup, played in Guadalupe. The result put the Scandinavian side in control of the group and exposed defensive frailties in a Tunisian team that had been stingy in qualifying.

The scoring started in the seventh minute when Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari fired a thunderbolt from outside the box after a defensive mix-up. Ayari, who has Moroccan and Tunisian heritage, celebrated modestly. Sweden doubled the lead in the 30th minute: a quick counter-attack freed Alexander Isak on the left; the Liverpool forward cut inside and shot, beating goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball.

Tunisia, who became the first team not to concede a goal in World Cup qualifying (a feat later matched by Ivory Coast and England), pulled one back just before halftime. Omar Rekik headed home from a teasing cross by Hannibal Mejbri. However, Sweden restored the two-goal cushion in the 59th minute after another defensive error. Ellyes Skhiri was caught in possession on the edge of the box by Isak, who fed Viktor Gyokeres; the Arsenal man slotted home. Substitute Mattias Svanberg made it 4-1 late on after VAR confirmed he was onside, and Ayari added his second of the match with another stunning long-range strike.

Sweden reached the quarter-finals in 2018 but missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Tunisia, the first African team to win a World Cup match (against Mexico in 1978), have never advanced beyond the group stage. In the same group, Japan scored a late equalizer to draw 2-2 with the Netherlands earlier.