Ueda inspires Japan to eliminate Tunisia in 1,000th World Cup match

Tunisia sacked Sabri Lamouchi after last week’s 5-1 defeat to Sweden and appointed Hervé Renard as their seventh manager since qualifying began. The change made little difference: Tunisia were well beaten by a Japan side inspired by Feyenoord centre-forward Ayase Ueda, who scored twice and led the line with intelligence and imagination.

The match, the 1,000th in World Cup history, began with Daichi Kamada opening the scoring within four minutes after a neat move down Japan’s left. An early penalty appeal when Ueda was clipped went unpunished by the referee and VAR, but Japan continued to probe and had other chances, narrowly denied by a Dylan Bronn clearing and a sprawling save from Aymen Dahmen.

Ueda struck again on 31 minutes, finding space and firing a shot through Montasser Talbi’s legs, and Japan’s control remained untroubled. Renard, who had only three days with the squad, tightened things after the interval but admitted the team lacked good defensive organisation and seemed resigned as the match slipped away.

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