Tunisia 0-4 Japan: Daichi Kamada inspires Samurai Blue to brink of 2026 World Cup last 32

Japan moved a giant step towards the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Group F at Estadio Monterrey on Sunday.

With the Netherlands having earlier thrashed Sweden 5-1, the Samurai Blue knew an opportunity existed to strengthen their position in the group, and they seized it in impressive fashion with a performance full of energy, control and ruthless finishing.

This was the 1,000th match in men's World Cup history, dating back to the tournament's opening fixtures in Montevideo in 1930, and Japan marked the milestone by securing a result that not only boosted their own qualification hopes but also ended Tunisia's journey in the competition.

Tunisia 0-4 Japan: What just happened?

Daichi Kamada rescued Japan with a late goal in their 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, and the midfielder wasted little time carrying that momentum into this contest.

It took the Crystal Palace man less than four minutes to break the deadlock, handing Japan the perfect start and leaving Tunisia with a mountain to climb almost from the first whistle.

For the North Africans, the tournament quickly unravelled. Even a managerial change failed to spark a revival, and another defeat confirmed an early exit that will leave supporters wondering what might have been.

Tunisia arrived at the World Cup boasting one of the strongest defensive records in qualifying, conceding just once in 10 matches, but the global stage proved a far sterner examination.

Any hopes of a response were dealt another heavy blow in the 31st minute. Ayase Ueda was afforded far too much space as Tunisia's defence retreated towards its own penalty area, allowing the Feyenoord striker to stride forward before rifling a superb effort through the legs of Montassar Talbi and into the far corner.

Japan controlled the game in the next half, maintained possession, and remained rock solid at the back to snuff out any Tunisia revival - a performance that highlights how far the Asian country has progressed.

Just before the hydration break, Kamada turned creator. The midfielder produced a delightful first-time pass around the corner that sliced open the Tunisian defence, sending Junya Ito racing through on goal before the winger calmly slotted a low finish beyond Aymen Dahmen.

The third goal summed up the gulf between the sides. Tunisia carelessly relinquished possession in midfield, Japan immediately turned defence into attack, and Ueda applied the finishing touch, arching a superb header over Dahmen to complete a well-deserved brace and put the result beyond doubt.

Tunisia 0-4 Japan: The big talking point

We've seen it countless times before: certain players seem to reserve their best football for the international stage, and Kamada is proving to be one of them.

The Crystal Palace midfielder failed to score a single goal throughout the 2025-26 campaign, yet he has already found the net in consecutive World Cup matches, once again demonstrating his knack for delivering when Japan need him most.

A fantastic start for Japan, as Daichi Kamada opens the scoring against Tunisia in the 4th minute.

Not the ideal start for Hervé Renard's reign as Tunisia manager, however... pic.twitter.com/oUbIffwOx7
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 21, 2026

The move itself was beautifully crafted, sweeping from right to left before Keito Nakamura drilled a low cross into the danger area, where Kamada arrived to apply the finishing touch from close range.

The goal also entered the history books as the fastest ever scored by a Japanese player at a World Cup. A closer replay suggested there was a touch of fortune in the finish, but as the old saying goes, fortune tends to favour the brave.

Tunisia 0-4 Japan: What happens next?

With Tunisia now eliminated, the battle for the remaining two qualification spots is set to go down to the final round of Group F fixtures.

The Netherlands are expected to take care of business against Tunisia in their last match, and unless there is a major shock, the Dutch should have enough to book their place in the Round of 32.

Japan, meanwhile, have put themselves in a commanding position. Four points from two matches means the Samurai Blue know that a draw against Sweden in their final group game would almost certainly be enough to secure progression, while a victory could even see them finish top of the group.