MONTERREY, Mexico, June 21 (ANI) —
The 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history turned into a historic night for Japan, as the Samurai Blue delivered a commanding 4–0 victory over Tunisia in a Group F clash at Estadio Monterrey on Sunday.
Ninety-six years after the first World Cup match was played in Montevideo, Uruguay, the milestone game saw Japan become the first Asian nation to score four goals in a World Cup match.
The result also extended Japan’s unbeaten run at the tournament to four matches, marking the longest such streak in the country’s World Cup history.
The victory took Japan to four points in Group F, level with the Netherlands at the top but behind on goal difference and goals scored. Tunisia, meanwhile, were eliminated in the group stage for a seventh consecutive World Cup appearance, extending an unwanted record.
According to ESPN, Japan’s rapid start produced another milestone when Daichi Kamada scored after just 3 minutes and 27 seconds, the fastest goal ever scored by a Japanese player in World Cup history.
Ayase Ueda starred for Japan, becoming the first Japanese player to score a brace and register three goal contributions in a single World Cup match. His two goals and overall influence drove a dominant performance that left Tunisia struggling throughout.
Japan opened the scoring through Kamada following a well-worked team move that exposed the Tunisian defence. Ueda doubled the lead in the 31st minute with a composed low finish before Junya Ito added a third midway through the second half after breaking through the defensive line.
Ueda completed the scoring late in the match with a looping header, sealing Japan’s first-ever four-goal World Cup performance and strengthening their push for qualification to the knockout stage.
Japan now need just a point from their final group match against Sweden to advance, while Tunisia exit the tournament after another early group-stage elimination. (ANI)
About The Author
