Japan cruised to a dominant 4-0 victory over Tunisia, recording their biggest World Cup win in history and all but ensuring their place in the knockout stages.
The Samurai Blue controlled the contest from start to finish, while the heavy defeat brought Tunisia’s World Cup campaign to an end after another disappointing display.
Here are our Scout Notes from the game, featuring match stats from our World Cup Toolkit page.
JAPAN 4-0 TUNISIA
- Goals: Kamada, Ito, Ueda x2
- Assists: Nakamura, Itakura, Sano, Ueda
- Tackle bonus: Tanaka
- Shots on target bonus: Ueda
- Top points scorers: Ueda (18), Itakura (12), Ito (11), Kamada (11)
TEAM STATS
PLAYER STATS
SCOUT NOTES
- Japan controlled the game from start to finish. They finished with 62% possession, generated 2.07 xG (expected goals), created three big chances and registered 11 attempts on goal.
- The first half produced Japan’s strongest football statistically. They dominated 66% possession, created two big chances, generated 1.15 xG and managed five attempts on goal.
- Japan made the perfect start after just four minutes. Ao Tanaka ($5.0m) spotted space on the left and quickly released Keito Nakamura ($5.5m). The winger drove towards the byline before drilling a low cross into the six-yard box, where Daichi Kamada ($5.8m) bundled the ball over the line from close range.
- Japan almost doubled their lead moments later. A long pass from goalkeeper Zion Suzuki ($4.3m) found Ayase Ueda ($7.0m), who outmuscled his marker before skipping past him. Dylan Bronn ($3.6m), recently back from injury, then produced an outstanding last-ditch challenge to deny Kamada a second goal. The resulting corner also caused problems. Junya Ito ($5.0m) swung the ball into the box, the goalkeeper could only palm it away, and Ueda’s deflected follow-up appeared to cross the line before being cleared, only falling short by millimetres.
- Japan eventually doubled their advantage through a moment of individual brilliance. Ko Itakura ($4.5m) fired a pass into Ueda, who received the ball well outside the penalty area. The striker still had plenty to do. He beat his defender, worked himself into space and curled a superb strike into the bottom-left corner.
- Japan maintained their control after the break. They held 59% possession, generated 0.92 xG, created one big chance and produced six attempts on goal.
- They had to wait until the 69th minute to add a third. A clever flick from Ueda just outside the centre circle released Junya Ito ($5.0m) through on goal. The winger kept his composure and calmly slotted beyond Aymen Dahmen ($3.9m).
- Japan wrapped up the scoring in the 83rd minute after punishing more poor defending. Ito raced down the right before delivering an inviting cross into the box. Ueda found himself completely unmarked and powered his header into the net.
- Tunisia offered very little throughout, while Japan remained relentless. They did not create a huge volume of chances, but they made almost every meaningful opportunity count. Ueda’s clinical finishing played a huge part in turning a dominant performance into such an emphatic scoreline.
