Tunisia beaten by Japan as World Cup campaign unravels

Goalline drama, Tunisia still alive at half-time

Your team went into the break at 0–0 against Japan on Sunday, and it took goalline technology to keep it that way. Japan thought they had scored, but the system ruled the ball had not fully crossed the line by the smallest possible margin (1) (4) (7). Aymen Dahmen started in goal, one of several changes Hervé Renard made for his first match in charge (6) (8).

Two Japan goals sink Tunisia

Kamada and Ayase scored to give Japan a 2–0 win, leaving your team bottom of Group F with zero points from two matches (2) (3). The defeat is brutal. After the 5–1 collapse against Sweden and the sacking of Sabri Lamouchi, Tunisia needed something from this game. They got nothing.

Renard's first XI

New manager Hervé Renard made his mark immediately. Aymen Dahmen replaced the goalkeeper who started against Sweden. The backline: Montassar Talbi, Omar Rekik, Dylan Bronn, Yan Valery. Sebastian Tounekti, Ellyes Skhiri, Ali Abdi, Elias Saad, Hannibal Mejbri, and Anis Slimane completed the starting eleven (6) (8).

Kubo missed out for Japan

Japan were without their playmaker Takefusa Kubo, sidelined through injury (4) (6). His absence gave Tunisia a tactical opening, but Kamada and Ayase found the goals anyway.

Netherlands thrash Sweden 5–1

The other Group F match on Sunday saw Netherlands demolish Sweden 5–1 (11). That is the same Sweden who put five past Tunisia in the opener. Group F is now a brutal picture: your team must beat Netherlands in the final group game and hope other results fall perfectly.

A chaotic week behind the scenes

Lamouchi was sacked after one match, the 5–1 loss to Sweden. Reports from L'Équipe revealed several players had threatened to leave the squad if he stayed. The federation abandoned a plan to install Mondher Kebaier as interim boss and turned instead to Renard, the veteran Frenchman famous for his World Cup heroics with Saudi Arabia (5) (7) (8). Sunday was his debut. It did not go to plan.

Fan-reaktioner

Tunisia-Japan was the 1,000th World Cup match in history, and that milestone drew more attention online than the football itself. The mood among fans on Reddit was subdued, your team's early exit from relevance in the tournament is sinking in. There is not much anger, just resignation. Read the discussion thread here.