Sweden made a powerful statement in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, overwhelming Tunisia 5-1 in Group F as Yasin Ayari scored twice and Alexander Isak starred in a commanding performance at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.
The Swedes capitalized on a series of Tunisian defensive errors to secure an emphatic victory and take early control of the group, while Tunisia’s remarkable qualifying campaign in which they did not concede a single goal quickly became a distant memory.
Sweden needed only seven minutes to break the deadlock. A long ball over the top exposed the Tunisian defense, forcing goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh to rush off his line. While Chamakh managed to beat Alexander Isak to the ball and Viktor Gyökeres saw his follow-up effort blocked, the loose ball fell perfectly for Yasin Ayari, who unleashed a superb strike from outside the penalty area into the net.
Ayari’s goal carried added significance, as the midfielder, whose mother is Tunisian, chose to represent Sweden, the country of his birth.
Tunisia attempted to respond and came close through Elias Saad, whose effort forced Swedish goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt into action. However, Sweden continued to look dangerous on the counterattack.
Their second goal arrived just before the half-hour mark. Sweden broke quickly from defense, releasing Isak down the left flank. The Liverpool forward cut inside and fired a precise shot toward the far corner, beating Chamakh, whose attempted dive came up short as Sweden doubled their lead.
Despite Sweden’s control, Tunisia found a lifeline just before halftime. Hannibal Mejbri delivered an inviting cross into the box, and defender Omar Rekik rose highest to head home, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and giving the North Africans hope heading into the break.
Any hopes of a Tunisian comeback were extinguished shortly before the hour mark.
Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri was caught dwelling on the ball just outside his own penalty area. Isak pounced immediately, winning possession and calmly squaring the ball to Viktor Gyökeres, who had time and space to fire home Sweden’s third goal.
The Swedish attack continued to flow with confidence and precision. Moments after entering the match as a substitute, Mattias Svanberg thought he had added a fourth goal only for the assistant referee’s flag to go up. Following a VAR review, officials determined that a slight touch from Isak had played Svanberg onside, and the goal was awarded.
The late stages belonged once again to Ayari. As Tunisia struggled to clear their lines in the closing moments, the ball broke loose outside the area and the midfielder struck another powerful effort into the net, completing his brace and sealing a comprehensive Swedish victory.
While Ayari’s two goals highlighted the scoreboard, Isak was equally influential throughout the contest. The striker not only scored Sweden’s second goal but also created the third with his relentless pressing and intelligent play, putting behind him an injury-disrupted first season at Liverpool with a performance full of confidence and quality.
The 5-1 triumph gives Sweden an ideal start to their World Cup campaign and sends a warning to the rest of Group F. For Tunisia, the heavy defeat exposes defensive vulnerabilities rarely seen during qualifying and leaves them needing a strong response in their remaining group matches.
Sweden moves to the top of Group F with three points after a commanding opening-day performance in Monterrey.
