Sweden produced one of the standout performances of the opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Tunisia 5-1 in Group F at Estadio Monterrey.
Yasin Ayari starred with two goals, while Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and substitute Mattias Svanberg also found the net as Sweden overwhelmed Tunisia after a competitive first half.
Sweden Strike First
Sweden opened the scoring through Yasin Ayari, whose stunning long-range effort gave the Scandinavians an early advantage.
Alexander Isak doubled the lead in the 30th minute to put Sweden firmly in control before Tunisia responded just before halftime through Omar Rekik, assisted by Hannibal Mejbri, reducing the deficit to 2-1 at the break.
Sweden Take Complete Control
Any hopes of a Tunisian comeback disappeared shortly after halftime.
Alexander Isak turned provider in the 59th minute, setting up Viktor Gyökeres to restore Sweden’s two-goal cushion at 3-1.
Sweden continued to dominate the second half, introducing fresh legs from the bench before substitute Mattias Svanberg made an immediate impact in the 84th minute, finishing Isak’s pass to make it 4-1.
Deep into stoppage time, Lucas Bergvall assisted Yasin Ayari for his second goal of the night, sealing an emphatic 5-1 victory.
Isak Pulls the Strings
Although Ayari grabbed the headlines with his brace, Alexander Isak was instrumental throughout the match, contributing one goal and two assists in an outstanding all-round display.
Sweden finished with eight shots on target from 13 attempts and punished Tunisia’s defensive mistakes with clinical finishing.
Match Statistics
- Shots: Sweden 13, Tunisia 5
- Shots on Target: Sweden 8, Tunisia 2
- Possession: Sweden 49%, Tunisia 51%
- Passes: Sweden 320, Tunisia 331
- Pass Accuracy: Sweden 82%, Tunisia 80%
- Corners: Sweden 4, Tunisia 2
Group F Standings
Sweden’s convincing victory puts them top of Group F with three points and a healthy +4 goal difference ahead of Japan and the Netherlands, who drew 2-2, while Tunisia sit bottom after the heavy defeat.
The result sends an early message that Sweden could be serious contenders for a place in the knockout stages.
