A fourth-minute touch from Daichi Kamada turned a milestone World Cup fixture into a Tunisian collapse, as Japan’s 4-0 win at Estadio BBVA sent Tunisia out after only two Group F games.
Kamada jolts Tunisia before Japan take control
In the 1,000th FIFA World Cup match, Japan needed almost no time to impose themselves. Keito Nakamura danced into the box and squared across goal for Kamada to prod in, a goal noted as both his second of the tournament and Japan’s fastest at a World Cup.
That early strike exposed how little resistance Tunisia could build in Hervé Renard’s first match in charge. Japan’s 62% possession and 505 passes to Tunisia’s 282 became more than control when Ayase Ueda was allowed to stride forward and lash in from the top of the box in the 31st minute.
Ueda drives Japan as Tunisia disappear
Renard had arrived after Sabri Lamouchi was removed following the 5-1 defeat to Sweden, but the emergency change did not alter the direction of Tunisia’s tournament. Japan led 2-0 at half-time and kept tightening the match until Ueda turned provider for Junya Ito to slot in the third in the 69th minute.
