World Cup: Historic Japan win sends Tunisia crashing out

A milestone fixture in Monterrey – the 1,000th FIFA World Cup match – saw Japan carve out their own slice of early history.

The impressive Keito Nakamura was the architect, dancing into the box and squaring across the face of goal where Daichi Kamada was on hand to prod home through a troupe of blue and white shirts.

His opener was his second of the tournament and the fastest that Japan have scored at a World Cup.

Ayase Ueda doubled the lead on the half-hour, being allowed the space of the Sierra Madre to stride towards goal and lash home from the top of the box.

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Parachuted into the job earlier in the week, new Tunisia coach Herve Renard was unable to orchestrate a response from the North African side and Japan went further ahead as Ueda turned provider, with Junya Ito slotting home a third midway through the second half.

Ueda then grabbed a second late on to complete the comfortable victory.

Japan’s win moves them level with the Netherlands at the top of Group F, while Tunisia are now eliminated.

Tunisia did not win any match.

It conceded eight goals and scored one, with the last group game a mere formality for the country.

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