Sweden Beats Tunisia 3-1 After Capitalizing on Defensive Errors

Sweden defeated Tunisia 3-1 on Monday morning in a World Cup group match, turning three Tunisian mistakes into three goals. Yasin Ayari scored in the 7th minute, Liverpool striker Alexander Isak added the second in the 30th, and Victor Gyokeres finished the scoring in the 61st. Tunisia’s only goal came from Omar Rekik’s header in the 43rd minute.

The match hinged on errors by Tunisia goalkeeper Abdulmouhib Chamakh, who was playing only his fifth senior international. Sweden started sharply and kept pressing, with both Ayari and Isak punishing loose play at the back. Ayari, whose father is Tunisian and who could also have represented Tunisia, did not celebrate his goal.

Tunisia improved after halftime and, for several minutes, looked the better side. The north Africans controlled the ball for long stretches, but another careless turnover led to Sweden’s third goal, with Isak regaining possession and setting up Gyokeres. Sweden finished with three goals from just four shots on target and won despite having less possession than Tunisia.

The result gives Sweden three points and a major step toward the next round, where four points are likely to be enough. Sweden now faces the Netherlands on Saturday in one of the group stage’s key games. Tunisia, which has never advanced from the World Cup group stage in any of its previous appearances, will meet Japan in its second match.