06/21/26 01:30:00
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06/21 01:25 CDT Ayase Ueda scores twice in Japan's 4-0 win against Tunisia in
1,000th men's World Cup match
Ayase Ueda scores twice in Japan's 4-0 win against Tunisia in 1,000th men's
World Cup match
By ETHAN WILCOX
Associated Press
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) --- Japan moved one step closer to reaching the knockout
stages of the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time after pummeling Tunisia
4-0 in Group F.
Japan's four goals were the most the Samurai Blue had ever scored in a World
Cup game, as Japan comfortably dismantled a Tunisia side that became the first
to ever fire its coach after the opening game.
Ayase Ueda scored twice, along with Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito to put Japan
level with the Netherlands on four points. The Dutch are currently on top the
group due to having scored one more goal than Japan across its two matches.
The loss for Tunisia means it is eliminated from the tournament. Japan are
guaranteed at least third in the group, which could be enough to advance to the
knockout stages.
Tunisia appointed two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner Herv Renard to try and
rescue the Eagles of Carthage after its humiliating 5-1 loss to Sweden, but the
North African nation could not contain Japan's speedy attack nor create any
clear chances of their own.
Kamada opened the scoring in the fourth minute, the fastest in Japan's World
Cup history. The Crystal Palace midfielder was perfectly positioned for Keito
Nakamura's cross and barely had to move to tap in his second goal of the
tournament.
In the 31st minute, Ayase Ueda received the ball in the midfield and drove
toward the Tunisia box. When Ueda opted not to pass to a few advancing runners,
any chance of a goal seemed lost --- but the 27-year-old fired an angled shot
from outside the box which flew into the left corner of the goal to make it 2-0.
The Feyenoord striker had an impressive club season with Feyenoord, scoring 24
goals in the Eredivisie to earn the league's top scorer award.
In the 69th minute, Junya Ito slotted a third goal for Japan after a Ueda's
flick put Ito in a one-on-one with Tunisia's goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen, which he
finished calmly.
Ueda's masterful looping header in the 83rd minute, his second of the night,
capped off an impressive night for the Samurai Blue.
Japan, who have not lost to a European opponent in 90 minutes since 2019, will
play against Sweden in Dallas on Thursday. Tunisia will play the Netherlands in
Kansas City at the same time.
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Ethan Wilcox is a student in the University of Georgia's Carmical Sports Media
Institute.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
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