Sweden thrash Tunisia (5-1) with a stellar Isak at Estadio BBVA
A brace from Ayari and a show from Isak and Gyökeres power a Swedish rout that shakes up Group F.
Sweden delivered an attacking masterclass and thrashed Tunisia 5-1 at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, the spectacular home of Rayados on the outskirts of Monterrey, known as 'The Steel Giant' with the Cerro de la Silla mountain framed behind it. One of Mexico's great venues for the 2026 World Cup hosted a Nordic goal-fest.
The Scandinavians struck early: in the 7th, Yasin Ayari broke the deadlock and, in the 30th, Alexander Isak doubled the lead after an assist from Viktor Gyökeres. Tunisia pulled one back before half-time through Omar Rekik in the 43rd, set up by Hannibal Mejbri, but after the restart Sweden put the game to bed. Gyökeres scored in the 59th from an Isak pass, Mattias Svanberg made it four in the 84th -- again assisted by Isak -- and Ayari completed his brace and the nap hand in the 90th, served by Lucas Bergvall. The only yellow went to Tunisia's Rani Khedira in the 54th.
Graham Potter surprised with a bold 3-1-4-2, with Kristoffer Nordfeldt in goal, Victor Lindelöf leading the back three and the fearsome Gyökeres-Isak partnership up front, who turned in a memorable display, creating and scoring in equal measure.
Hervé Renard set up Tunisia in a defensive 5-3-2, with Aymen Chamakh between the posts and Ellyes Skhiri and Mejbri in midfield, but the plan collapsed under the Swedish storm. The Eagles of Carthage paid dearly for their defensive errors.
The rout puts Sweden as clear leaders of Group F thanks to a devastating goal difference, a key factor in the group stage of a 2026 World Cup with 48 nations across the USA, Mexico and Canada. Tunisia, meanwhile, must rebuild as quickly as possible.