Yasin Ayari Scores Twice as Sweden Crushes Tunisia 5-1 in World Cup Match

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F preliminary match, Nordic powerhouse Sweden returned to the tournament after a one-year absence and showcased dominant offensive power, defeating Tunisia 5-1 with Yasin Ayari scoring two goals to secure their first win of the tournament.

Sweden has a long history in the World Cup, qualifying for the finals for the 13th time including this edition. They previously reached the final as hosts in 1958, finishing as runners-up. However, they were excluded from the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Returning after one edition, Sweden was drawn in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia. Earlier in the day, the Netherlands and Japan played to a 2-2 draw, leaving Sweden alone at the top of the group with three points.

Just seven minutes into the match, 22-year-old Yasin Ayari opened the scoring for Sweden, becoming the second-fastest goal scorer in this tournament.

Interestingly, Ayari's father is Tunisian, and he described the match as "emotionally complicated" in a pre-game interview. After his first goal, he refrained from excessive celebration.

In the 30th minute, Alexander Isak received a midfield pass, drove forward alone, and fired a powerful right-footed shot from outside the 18-yard box to make it 2-0.

Although Tunisia pulled one back before halftime, Sweden intensified their attack in the second half. In the 59th minute, a bizarre defensive error by a Tunisian defender allowed Isak to intercept the ball and pass to Viktor Gyokeres, who calmly slotted it home from inside the box.

In the 84th minute, Mattias Svanberg, who had just entered the game 18 seconds earlier, scored with his first touch inside the penalty area. Initially ruled offside, the goal was confirmed after a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) review, extending Sweden's lead to 4-1.

Deep into stoppage time, Ayari received a short pass at the front, dribbled into the box, and fired home to complete his brace. This time, he celebrated joyfully with his teammates, releasing his emotions.

Despite holding only 40% possession, Sweden outshot Tunisia 13-6 with 7 shots on target compared to Tunisia's 2, demonstrating superior efficiency and control in attack.