Sweden crushed Tunisia 5-1 on Sunday, leaving the North African nation’s defensive reputation in tatters.
Sweden made a dream start against Tunisia, taking the lead just seven minutes into the match in Guadeloupe. Midfielder Yasin Ayari capitalized on a defensive error, firing a stunning long-range effort into the net. Despite the quality of the strike, the Brighton player, who has Moroccan and Tunisian heritage, kept his celebrations subdued.
The visitors doubled their advantage midway through the first half following a swift counterattack. Alexander Isak broke free down the left flank, surged towards goal, and cut inside before unleashing a powerful shot. Although goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh managed to get a hand to the effort, he was unable to prevent the ball from finding the back of the net.
Tunisia entered the contest boasting an impressive defensive record, having gone through their qualification campaign without conceding a single goal — an achievement later matched only by Ivory Coast and England. However, Sweden looked capable of running away with the game until Tunisia struck back just before the interval. Omar Rekik rose highest to meet a dangerous cross from Hannibal Mejbri, heading home to reduce the deficit and breathe new life into the contest.
Sweden regained control of the match in the 59th minute after Tunisia were punished for another costly defensive mistake. Midfielder Ellyes Skhiri lost possession near his own penalty area under pressure from Alexander Isak, who quickly teed up Viktor Gyokeres. The forward made no mistake, calmly finding the net to restore Sweden’s two-goal advantage.
The Scandinavians continued to dominate and added a fourth goal late in the game through substitute Mattias Svanberg. Initially flagged offside, the goal was awarded after a VAR review confirmed he had timed his run perfectly.
There was still time for Yasin Ayari to cap off an outstanding performance with his second spectacular strike of the evening, curling home another long-range effort from outside the box.
Sweden, who reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, are aiming to return to football’s biggest stage after missing out on qualification for the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Tunisia, meanwhile, hold a special place in African football history as the first team from the continent to win a World Cup match, defeating Mexico in 1978. However, the North African nation is still seeking its first appearance in the knockout rounds of the competition.
