June 15, (THEWILL) — Sweden delivered one of the standout performances of the opening round of the FIFA World Cup 2026, dismantling Tunisia 5-1 to send an early warning to the rest of the tournament and move to the top of Group F.
Graham Potter’s side arrived at the World Cup after negotiating a difficult path through the UEFA play-offs, but they looked every bit like genuine contenders as they overwhelmed Tunisia with pace, precision and attacking flair.
The stars of the night were Yasin Ayari, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, who combined to produce a display that lit up Monterrey and left Tunisia chasing shadows for much of the contest.
Ayari, who was eligible to represent Tunisia through his family heritage, opened the scoring after just seven minutes. A poor clearance from Tunisian goalkeeper Abdelmouhib Chamakh fell kindly to the midfielder, who unleashed a stunning strike from outside the penalty area to hand Sweden an early advantage.
Sweden continued to dominate possession and create chances, with Isak and Gyökeres repeatedly finding space behind the Tunisian defence. Their pressure paid off five minutes before halftime when Gyökeres threaded a perfectly weighted pass into Isak’s path. The striker took a touch before firing a low effort that slipped through Chamakh’s hands and into the net for Sweden’s second goal.
Tunisia found a lifeline just before the break. Hannibal Mejbri delivered an inviting cross into the penalty area, and Hamza Rekik rose highest to glance a header beyond the Swedish goalkeeper, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and giving the North Africans hope heading into the interval.
That hope did not last long.
Sweden resumed the second half with the same intensity and restored their two-goal cushion in the 59th minute following another costly Tunisian error. Chamakh’s attempted roll-out put Ellyes Skhiri under immediate pressure, allowing Isak to pounce on the loose ball before squaring for Gyökeres, who calmly finished to make it 3-1.
The goal further highlighted the growing understanding between Sweden’s two star forwards. Throughout the evening, Isak and Gyökeres combined with remarkable chemistry, constantly exchanging positions, creating opportunities and troubling Tunisia’s back line.
Potter’s side added a fourth late in the game through substitute Mattias Svanberg. Initially ruled offside, the goal was eventually awarded following a VAR review, capping a dream introduction for the midfielder just seconds after entering the pitch.
Ayari then provided the perfect finishing touch deep into stoppage time. Spotting space outside the area, the midfielder drove another magnificent effort beyond Chamakh to complete his brace and seal a memorable night for Sweden.
While Tunisia showed occasional glimpses of quality, particularly through Mejbri’s creativity in midfield, they struggled to cope with Sweden’s relentless attacking pressure and were ultimately punished for a series of defensive mistakes.
The emphatic victory sees Sweden take control of Group F after the earlier 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan. More importantly, it serves as a statement of intent from a side many had overlooked before the tournament began.
Having fought their way into the competition through the play-offs, Sweden arrived in North America with questions surrounding their credentials. After a dazzling five-goal display against Tunisia, those questions have quickly been replaced by a new one: just how far can Graham Potter’s men go in this World Cup?
Olumide Atiba
