Ueda’s brace helps Japan knock Tunisia out of World Cup 2026

Two goals from Ayase Ueda, and one each from Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito, keep Asian giants Japan second in Group F.

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Ueda’s brace helps Japan knock Tunisia out of World Cup 2026

Two goals from Ayase Ueda, and one each from Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito, keeps Asian giants Japan second in Group F.

Japan marked the 1,000th game in the history of the World Cup with a 4-0 thrashing of Tunisia on Saturday, to close in on a place in the last 32.

Ayase Ueda scored twice while Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito were also on target as the Asian giants joined the Netherlands on four points at the top of Group F.

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Tunisia, who were thumped 5-1 by Sweden in their first game of the tournament, can no longer hope for a place in the knockout rounds.

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Tunisia v Japan - Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico - June 20, 2026 Japan's Junya Ito celebrates scoring their third goal with Japan's Ayase Ueda and Japan's Daichi Kamada REUTERS/Daniel Becerril
Japan’s Junya Ito celebrates scoring their third goal with Ayase Ueda (left) and Daichi Kamada [Daniel Becerril/Reuters]

The Blue Samurai, who held the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw in their Group F opener, were always in control against Tunisia at the Monterrey Stadium.

The result marked a losing start for new Tunisia manager Herve Renard, who was hastily appointed to take over the World Cup campaign after predecessor Sabri Lamouchi was sacked following the wake of the Sweden drubbing.

But Renard’s team never looked like threatening a technically superior Japanese side that went quickly into their trademark smooth passing game.

Japan's midfielder #15 Daichi Kamada celebrates after scoring his team first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group F football match between Tunisia and Japan at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by Julio Cesar AGUILAR / AFP)
Japan’s midfielder #15 Daichi Kamada celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal [Julio Cesar Aguilar/AFP]

Daichi Kamada opened the scoring after just four minutes, finishing from close range after deft interplay from Ao Tanaka and Keito Nakamura.

The Japanese almost scored again moments later, with only a desperate goal-line clearance from Dylan Bronn denying the Asian giants a second goal.

Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen was also working overtime, and had to claw away a shot that went agonisingly short of crossing the goal line.

Japan, though, finally added to their tally in the 31st minute, with striker Ueda taking advantage of some hesitant Tunisian defending to surge forward and thunder a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

The rout continued in the second half, with Junya Ito latching onto a brilliant through ball to calmly finish on 69 minutes before Ueda scored again with a looping header in the 83rd minute.

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Tunisia v Japan - Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico - June 20, 2026 Tunisia's Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida, Tunisia's Montassar Talbi, Tunisia's Dylan Bronn and Tunisia's Mouhib Chamakh look dejected after the match REUTERS/Daniel Becerril
After suffering their second defeat of the tournament against Japan on Saturday, Tunisia are out of the 2026 World Cup [Daniel Becerril/Reuters]

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