Ayase Ueda’s clinical brace headlined a historic 1,000th World Cup fixture, as the fluid Samurai Blue dismantled the Eagles of Carthage to knock Tunisia out.
Group F has continued to produce goal fests in every game so far. The entertainment did not stop in this match as Japan eliminated Tunisia following a 4-0 win in the 1000th game of World Cup history. In every Group F game so far, at least four goals have been scored.
One of Tunisia's only two shots of the game happened in the third minute when Hannibal Mejbri attempted a speculative screamer from outside the box, but it just sailed over the bar.
Moments later, the Samurai Blue took the lead themselves. Ao Tanaka slipped the ball down the left wing for Keito Nakamura, who then sent a low cross across the box, which Daichi Kamada flicked with his heel.
Aymen Dahmen pulled off goalkeeping heroics with a brilliant double save to prevent Takehiro Tomiyasu twice from point-blank range.
Tunisia slowly settled into the game in terms of possession but failed to throw many punches at Japan. However, Hajime Moriyasu put any hope to bed.
On the half-hour mark, Ayase Ueda drove towards the edge of the box, and his shot nestled through Montassar Talbi's legs and passed Dahmen to make it two in clinical fashion.
The second half was largely Japan consolidating their lead and controlling the possession while Tunisia tried desperately to prevent the game from being a humiliation.
In the 69th minute, Junya Ito made it three for Japan. Tanaka drilled the ball towards Ueda on the edge of the box, who flicked the ball around the corner to Ito, who was in a one-on-one, and he slotted it into the back of the net.
Japan soon made it four in the 84th minute as Kaishū Sano charged down the right and lofted the ball into the box for a towering Ueda to head home for his second of the night.
Japan with a statement performance
Japan are not the only side so far to thrash Tunisia at the World Cup, with Sweden beating them 5-1 last time out and even Belgium winning by five in a warm-up friendly.
However, it was the manner of victory in which the Samurai Blue made it so effortless and looked like they were never under threat. Famed for their fluidity, it was there on display for all to see tonight.
Despite having specific positions, each player popped up all over the pitch, and it was their movement which made it look like they had double the players of Tunisia.
It will be interesting to see how they cope against Sweden, but this was certainly a statement victory from Japan.
Hopeless Tunisia
Things could not have gone worse for Hervé Renard in his first game in charge of Tunisia.
With another drubbing at the World Cup, they become the second side to officially be eliminated after Turkeys dissmisal at the hands of Paraguay previously.
The Eagles of Carthage have now conceded nine goals so far, and the way it is going, they look like they will concede many more against the Netherlands. Unless they salvage something against the Netherlands, they will go down as one of the poorest sides in recent memory at a World Cup.
How the group looks
With the 4-0 win matching the fact that the Netherlands beat Sweden by four goals, Japan and the Oranje now sit level on four points each in the top two positions of the group.
Sweden sits on three points, meaning the final round of fixtures will be full of drama as it determines how the top three positions finish. As for Tunisia, their World Cup adventure is over and they will be aiming to leave with some pride as they take on the Netherlands next.
