Japan took an early grip on its World Cup match against Tunisia, racing to a 2-0 lead within half an hour in what appeared to be its first win at the 2026 World Cup. From the opening minutes, Hajime Moriyasu’s side controlled the game, while Tunisia looked out of rhythm.
Daichi Kamada opened the scoring after 3 minutes and 30 seconds, making it the fastest goal in Japan’s World Cup history. The strike also made him only the second Japanese player ever to score in consecutive World Cup matches.
Kamada finished with his heel, becoming only the second player in the past decade to score a World Cup goal that way. Both of those heel goals came against teams coached by Hervé Renard, after Yago Aspas did it against Morocco in 2018.
The match also carried a historical marker beyond Japan’s opening goal, as it was the 1,000th game in World Cup history. The article was published on June 21, 2026, during the 2026 World Cup.