Sweden hammer Tunisia 5-1 to storm top of World Cup Group F

Yasin Ayari scored twice while Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres starred as Sweden delivered one of the most convincing wins of the tournament so far.

Sweden announced themselves as serious contenders in Group F with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico, producing an attacking masterclass that left the North African side overwhelmed from start to finish.

The Scandinavian side wasted little time taking control of the contest. Just seven minutes into the match, Yasin Ayari opened the scoring with a spectacular long-range strike after Tunisia failed to clear their lines. The early goal set the tone for a match that Sweden would dominate for long periods.

The pressure continued to mount and Sweden doubled their advantage in the 30th minute. Alexander Isak, one of the team's biggest attacking threats, capped off a swift counterattack with a superb finish to make it 2-0.

Tunisia briefly gave themselves hope before the interval when Omar Rekik headed home from close range following a delivery from Hannibal Mejbri. The goal reduced the deficit to 2-1 and offered Tunisia a route back into the match.

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Any hopes of a comeback, however, were quickly extinguished after the break.

Viktor Gyokeres restored Sweden's two-goal cushion in the 59th minute after excellent work from Isak, who won possession and provided the decisive pass. Sweden's attacking trio continued to torment the Tunisian defence, creating chance after chance.

Mattias Svanberg then added a fourth goal late in the match after a VAR review confirmed the strike. With Tunisia struggling to contain Sweden's movement and pace, Ayari completed his brace deep into stoppage time with another stunning effort from outside the box to seal a comprehensive 5-1 victory.

Isak and Gyokeres lead Sweden's charge

While Ayari's two goals grabbed the headlines, Isak was equally influential. The Liverpool forward finished with one goal and two assists, constantly stretching the Tunisian defence and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Gyokeres also impressed, contributing a goal and an assist in a performance that highlighted Sweden's attacking depth.

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Group F standings take shape

The victory sends Sweden to the top of Group F with three points and a healthy goal difference of +4. Earlier in the day, the Netherlands and Japan played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, leaving both sides on one point.

With only the top two teams and the best-performing third-placed teams progressing to the knockout stages, Sweden's commanding win could prove crucial later in the tournament.

The result also made Sweden one of the standout performers of the opening rounds, alongside Germany, who recorded a 7-1 victory over Curaçao earlier on Day 4 of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

For Tunisia, the heavy defeat leaves significant questions to answer before their next group-stage fixture, while Sweden will take enormous confidence from a performance that showcased both attacking flair and clinical finishing.