Sweden made a dominant start to their World Cup campaign with a 5-1 win over Tunisia in Monterrey, as Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres starred in an emphatic Group F victory.
Isak marked his first World Cup appearance with a trademark goal after 30 minutes. The Liverpool forward, who has battled injuries since his £125m move to Anfield in September, drilled a powerful finish into the bottom corner after surging in from the left.
The goal came after excellent work from strike partner Gyokeres. The Arsenal forward held off his marker near the halfway line before releasing Isak into space.
Sweden had taken the lead in the seventh minute when Yasin Ayari punished poor Tunisian defending with a superb strike into the top corner.
The 22-year-old Brighton midfielder, who made his senior Sweden debut while on loan at Coventry City in 2023, became Sweden’s youngest World Cup scorer since Tomas Brolin in 1990. Ayari did not celebrate, with his first international goal coming against the country of his father’s birth.
Tunisia pulled a goal back two minutes before half-time when defender Omar Rekik headed home from a Hannibal Mejbri free-kick.
However, Sweden regained control after the break. Isak turned creator on the hour mark, setting up Gyokeres to restore the two-goal cushion.
The Liverpool forward then provided another assist 24 minutes later as substitute Mattias Svanberg scored just 12 seconds after coming on, the fastest goal by a substitute in World Cup history.
Ayari completed the rout with his second long-range effort of the match, scoring Sweden’s fifth goal to cap a commanding performance and send Graham Potter’s side to the top of Group F.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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