Tunisia suffer heavy 5–1 defeat against Sweden in World Cup opener
Sweden's Yasin Ayari scored two sensational goals and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres also got on the scoresheet as they cruised to a 5-1 World Cup Group F victory over Tunisia on Sunday.
After scraping through to the finals after a dismal qualifying campaign, they responded by scoring five goals in a World Cup match for the first time since 1938 when they defeated Cuba 8-0.
Ayari – the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mother – put Sweden ahead in the seventh minute after goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh fluffed his lines trying to clear under pressure from Isak, and what followed set the tone for the evening.
The ball fell to Gyokeres, whose shot was blocked, but Ayari picked up the loose ball and blasted home a rocket of a shot to send the yellow-clad fans in the stands into raptures, though the player's own celebrations were more muted.
Set up to defend and hit Sweden on the break, Tunisia then got a taste of their own medicine as they committed players forward and chased an equaliser on the half-hour mark, only to come undone on the counterattack.
The Swedes won the ball in their own box and played it to Gyokeres, who took it on his chest and instantly released Isak down the left. The striker ran at defender Montassar Talbi before cutting inside and slotting the ball past Chamakh, who should have done better.
The Tunisians did little in the opening half and struggled to recalibrate their game-plan after going behind, but they still managed to pull a goal back before the break, defender Omar Rekik scoring with a superb glancing header that was his side's first effort on target.
Reuters
Sweden's Yasin Ayari scored two sensational goals and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres also got on the scoresheet as they cruised to a 5-1 World Cup Group F victory over Tunisia on Sunday.
After scraping through to the finals after a dismal qualifying campaign, they responded by scoring five goals in a World Cup match for the first time since 1938 when they defeated Cuba 8-0.
Ayari – the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mother – put Sweden ahead in the seventh minute after goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh fluffed his lines trying to clear under pressure from Isak, and what followed set the tone for the evening.
The ball fell to Gyokeres, whose shot was blocked, but Ayari picked up the loose ball and blasted home a rocket of a shot to send the yellow-clad fans in the stands into raptures, though the player's own celebrations were more muted.
Set up to defend and hit Sweden on the break, Tunisia then got a taste of their own medicine as they committed players forward and chased an equaliser on the half-hour mark, only to come undone on the counterattack.
The Swedes won the ball in their own box and played it to Gyokeres, who took it on his chest and instantly released Isak down the left. The striker ran at defender Montassar Talbi before cutting inside and slotting the ball past Chamakh, who should have done better.
The Tunisians did little in the opening half and struggled to recalibrate their game-plan after going behind, but they still managed to pull a goal back before the break, defender Omar Rekik scoring with a superb glancing header that was his side's first effort on target.
Reuters
Sweden's Yasin Ayari scored two sensational goals and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres also got on the scoresheet as they cruised to a 5-1 World Cup Group F victory over Tunisia on Sunday.
After scraping through to the finals after a dismal qualifying campaign, they responded by scoring five goals in a World Cup match for the first time since 1938 when they defeated Cuba 8-0.
Ayari – the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mother – put Sweden ahead in the seventh minute after goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh fluffed his lines trying to clear under pressure from Isak, and what followed set the tone for the evening.
The ball fell to Gyokeres, whose shot was blocked, but Ayari picked up the loose ball and blasted home a rocket of a shot to send the yellow-clad fans in the stands into raptures, though the player's own celebrations were more muted.
Set up to defend and hit Sweden on the break, Tunisia then got a taste of their own medicine as they committed players forward and chased an equaliser on the half-hour mark, only to come undone on the counterattack.
The Swedes won the ball in their own box and played it to Gyokeres, who took it on his chest and instantly released Isak down the left. The striker ran at defender Montassar Talbi before cutting inside and slotting the ball past Chamakh, who should have done better.
The Tunisians did little in the opening half and struggled to recalibrate their game-plan after going behind, but they still managed to pull a goal back before the break, defender Omar Rekik scoring with a superb glancing header that was his side's first effort on target.
Reuters
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Tunisia suffer heavy 5–1 defeat against Sweden in World Cup opener
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