apan delivered a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia in the World Cup’s 1,000th match on Saturday to move to the brink of the knockout stages, while the North Africans were eliminated after a second successive defeat in Group F.
Daichi Kamada opened the scoring after four minutes, bundling home Keito Nakamura’s low cross from close range, before Ayase Ueda doubled Japan’s lead in the 30th minute with a fierce low drive into the far corner.
Japan stayed in control after the break and Ueda set up Junya Ito for their third with a lofted pass before heading in his second of the night from a deep cross, making Japan the first Asian side to score four goals in a World Cup match.
Japan join the Netherlands on four points, with Tunisia, playing their first game under new coach Herve Renard after a 5-1 loss to Sweden, becoming the tournament’s third eliminated side, joining Haiti and Turkey.
The result marked a losing start for new Tunisia manager Herve Renard, who was hastily appointed to take over the World Cup campaign after predecessor Sabri Lamouchi was sacked in the wake of the Sweden drubbing.
But Renard’s team never looked like threatening a technically superior Japanese side that were quickly into their trademark, smooth passing game.
Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen was working overtime, and had to claw away a shot that just went agonisingly short of crossing the goalline.
The rout continued in the second half, with Junya Ito latching onto a brilliant through ball to calmly finish on 69 minutes before Ueda scored again with a looping header in the 83rd minute.
