On June 21, Japan defeated Tunisia 4-0 in their second Group F match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
This match was the 1000th game in FIFA World Cup history, which began in 1930 in Uruguay and has been held every four years since, except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II. Japan became the team to achieve a significant victory in this historic match.
Japan scored four goals, with Daichi Kamada netting the first, followed by a brace from Ayase Ueda and a final goal from Junya Ito. This marks Japan's highest goal tally in a single World Cup match, tying the record.
After drawing 2-2 with the Netherlands in their opening match, Japan now holds a record of one win and one draw, placing them second in Group F with four points. They will face Sweden in their final group match on June 26, aiming for the top spot and a place in the knockout stage.
Tunisia, having lost 5-1 to Sweden in their first match, suffered another defeat against Japan. Despite the appointment of coach Hervé Renard following the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi, Tunisia could not turn their fortunes around. With the results, Tunisia has been eliminated from the group stage, becoming the third team to exit the tournament after Haiti and Turkey.
While the match was historic, the presence of the Rising Sun flag in the stands drew criticism. Some Japanese fans displayed the flag, which symbolizes Japan's militarism and imperialism, raising concerns during the event.
The match tilted in Japan's favor early, with Kamada scoring in the fourth minute. Ueda added another goal in the 31st minute, and in the second half, Ito and Ueda scored consecutively to secure the 4-0 victory.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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