Sweden Dominates Tunisia in FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener
Sweden's Strong Start in World Cup 2026
Sweden kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey with an impressive 5-1 victory against Tunisia in their Group F debut, marking their fifth consecutive unbeaten opening match in World Cup history.
Sweden Establishes Early Dominance
Under the guidance of Graham Potter, Sweden launched a fierce attack in Guadalupe, scoring two goals within the first thirty minutes. Tunisia's goalkeeper, Mouhib Chamakh, had a challenging night, making a critical error that led to Sweden's first goal in the 18th minute. After misjudging a long clearance from Victor Lindelof, Chamakh found himself out of position as Viktor Gyokeres' shot was blocked. The ball fell to Yasin Ayari, who took advantage and scored from distance into an empty net.
Tunisia Responds Before Halftime
Despite the early setbacks, Tunisia fought back just before halftime. Omar Rekik managed to evade his defender and headed in a well-placed cross from Hannibal Mejbri, giving the Eagles of Carthage a glimmer of hope as they headed into the break.
Second Half Sees Sweden Secure Victory
Any hopes of a Tunisian comeback were dashed shortly after the second half began. Sweden quickly regained their two-goal lead when Isak took advantage of a mistake by captain Ellyes Skhiri, assisting Gyokeres, who scored from close range. This goal marked Gyokeres' 15th in his last 16 international matches.
Although Mejbri continued to pose a threat with his creativity, Tunisia struggled to keep up with Sweden's relentless attack in the final minutes. Mattias Svanberg added a fourth goal with a composed finish inside the box, and Ayari capped off the match with a stunning long-range strike, completing his brace.
Looking Ahead in Group F
This decisive victory sets Sweden up perfectly for their next Group F match against the Netherlands, who played to a 2-2 draw with Japan in their opener.
On the other hand, Tunisia, having not won their opening World Cup match since 1978, faces increasing pressure as they prepare to meet Japan on Sunday.