Match Analysis: Tunisia 0-4 Japan: Individual errors cost the Carthage Eagles as the Herve Renard bounce fails to materialise at World Cup 2026

Following a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Sweden, Tunisia capitulated once again, suffering a 4-0 defeat to Japan on Sunday morning to confirm their early exit from the 2026 World Cup. Appointed as head coach of the Eagles of Carthage on Tuesday to replace Sabri Lamouchi, Herve Renard fundamentally failed to turn the tide.

Much ado about nothing. For the entire week, the drama surrounding the Tunisian national team dominated the headlines. The shock sacking of Sabri Lamouchi in the wake of the 5-1 demolition by Sweden, and his highly publicised replacement by Herve Renard, had raised hopes of a radical overhaul.

Ultimately, it wasn't to be. Trailing after just four minutes and entirely toothless in attack, the Eagles of Carthage were subjected to another drubbing against Japan, crashing out of the tournament with a game to spare before Thursday evening's clash against the Netherlands.

Familiar defensive frailties on show

It took just seven minutes for Tunisia to cave in against Sweden; it was even worse against Japan. Less than a minute was on the clock when the Eagles of Carthage suffered their first scare, as Ayase Ueda went down in the box under a challenge from Ellyes Skhiri, prompting penalty appeals that were eventually waved away by the referee.

That didn't stop Tunisia from folding shortly after—and for good this time. In the fourth minute, following an intercepted clearance from goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen, Keito Nakamura skipped past Yan Valery before whipping a cross in for Daichi Kamada. The midfielder broke the deadlock, rising highest amidst a sea of four Tunisian defenders in the penalty area. To their credit, a slight nudge on Dylan Bronn could arguably have been penalised by the officials.

The second goal also stemmed from a botched clearance, this time from Karim Rekik, while Montassar Talbi afforded Ueda too much time and space to beat a slightly flat-footed Dahmen. The backline then completely misjudged the offside trap for the third goal, and the fourth was the direct result of cheaply conceding possession following a mix-up between Skhiri and Anis Ben Slimane.

Did Herve Renard's tactical tweaks pay off?

Renard opted for a 5-4-1 system, making three changes from the side Lamouchi fielded against Sweden: Dahmen replaced Chamakh between the sticks, Bronn stepped in for Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida in defence, and Ali Tounekti, deployed as a false nine, was preferred to midfielder Rani Khedira.

The undisputed number one during the last AFCON, Dahmen initially vindicated his new manager's faith with a superb low save to deny Ueda, clawing the ball off the line to prevent Japan from doubling their lead. However, he was arguably at fault for the second goal.

Bronn, meanwhile, made a crucial last-ditch block to prevent a certain goal from a Ueda cross after the Japanese striker had left Talbi for dead. Nevertheless, Renard hooked him at half-time, bringing on Ben Hamida, whose poor positioning played Junya Ito onside for Japan's third.

? #FIFAWorldCup
???️ La réaction d'Hervé Renard après l'élimination de la Tunisie #beINFWC2026 pic.twitter.com/sjwQOtWk2t
— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) June 21, 2026

Eagles of Carthage toothless in attack

Tunisian fans likely didn't realise it at the time, but Hannibal Mejbri's audacious effort from the left flank in the second minute, which grazed the far top corner, would prove to be their best chance of the match.

Neither Tounekti—one of Renard's boldest calls—nor Elias Saad, who started as a false nine before making way for Ismael Gharbi at the break, managed to make an impact. The build-up play lacked pace and fluidity, offering virtually no outlets for the man on the ball.

Epitomised by a Tounekti cross that trickled through Mejbri's legs early in the second half, the Eagles of Carthage lacked any real cutting edge during their rare forays into the opposition third, finishing the game with a dismal two shots, neither of which tested the keeper.

Two managers ? Two defeats ? Nine goals conceded so far ⚽

It's been a World Cup to forget for Tunisia ? pic.twitter.com/GRZgUFtl27
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 21, 2026

How did Herve Renard react?

Tunisia's newly minted boss knew he was walking into a tough job, but he surely didn't expect a nightmare of this magnitude. Initially stoic on the touchline, his frustration eventually boiled over, visibly berating his players on several occasions—albeit without sparking any meaningful response on the pitch.

"We can't be satisfied with a scoreline like that. In the first half, we were incapable of playing out from the back. For the first twenty minutes of the second half, we did it well. And then we were too soft defensively and conceded," the French tactician summarised to beIN Sports in his post-match interview.

Publicly, the two-time AFCON winner refused to throw his players under the bus, instead demanding a spirited response against the Netherlands: "Obviously, morale... it's tough. But the players tried, they didn't throw in the towel. We came up against a team that was vastly superior to us. You have to dig deep in these difficult moments. It's especially hard for the players. So, for this third match, we'll need a bit of pride to go out there and give a good account of ourselves."