Japan delivered a statement victory in Monterrey, Mexico, defeating Tunisia 4-0 on Saturday. The match marked the 1,000th game in World Cup history and saw Japan become the first team from Asia to score four goals in a single World Cup match.
Despite missing injured playmaker Takefusa Kubo, Japan's attack remained fluent. Ayase Ueda scored twice and provided an assist, while Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito also found the back of the net. Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu credited the team's aggressive play and the support of Japanese and Mexican fans for the result.
The win leaves Japan and the Netherlands tied with four points at the top of Group F, though the Dutch hold the advantage on goals scored. Japan now moves closer to securing a place in the knockout stages.
For Tunisia, the loss marks a painful end to their campaign. Following a 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening game, the team was eliminated with one game to spare. This result occurred in the first match under veteran coach Herve Renard, who urged his players to remain professional and focused for their final game.