Japan Crush Tunisia 4-0 to Close In on World Cup 2026 Last 16
Japan are on the brink. As of June 21, 2026, Hajime Moriyasu's side dismantled Tunisia 4-0 in their second Group F match at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe <a href="/matches/tunisia-vs-japan/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Tunisia — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-21T07:15:44.837Z">Match centre vs Tunisia — official record</a>. The result lifts Japan to 4 points from two games — a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands and now this emphatic win — and puts them in a commanding position to reach the knockout rounds <a href="/matches/tunisia-vs-japan/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Tunisia — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-21T07:15:44.837Z">Match centre vs Tunisia — official record</a>.
One match remains (as of June 21, 2026). Sweden. June 25. AT&T Stadium, Arlington <a href="/matches/tunisia-vs-japan/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Tunisia — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-21T07:15:44.837Z">Match centre vs Tunisia — official record</a>. A win and Japan are through.
How Japan Got Here
The tournament opened with a test (as of June 21, 2026). Japan drew 2-2 against the Netherlands at AT&T Stadium — a fair result against a strong European side. What Moriyasu needed in the second match was a statement. He got one.
The 4-0 scoreline against Tunisia was comprehensive <a href="/matches/tunisia-vs-japan/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Tunisia — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-21T07:15:44.837Z">Match centre vs Tunisia — official record</a>. Japan controlled the match and converted their chances with the kind of clinical edge that has defined their recent form.
Look at the broader picture. Across their last 13 national-team matches, Japan have won 9, drawn 3, and lost just 1. They have scored 24 goals and conceded 9. That single defeat — a 0-2 loss away to the USA in September 2025 — now looks like an outlier, not a trend (as of June 21, 2026).
Since that loss, the trajectory has been steep. A draw in Mexico. A 3-2 home win over Brazil. Clean sheets against Ghana, Bolivia, Scotland, and England. A 1-0 result away to England. Then the World Cup itself: a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, and now a 4-0 demolition of Tunisia (as of June 21, 2026).
This is a team that arrived in form and has only sharpened.
The Squad Powering the Run
Moriyasu named 26 players for this World Cup. The roster is almost entirely Europe-based, spread across the top five leagues and the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark. Track every player's form and minutes on the Japan hub.
The attacking numbers over the last 12 months of national-team play tell the story:
- A. Ueda (Feyenoord) — 10 goals, 3 assists in 962 NT minutes. The sharpest striker on the roster, and Feyenoord's top scorer at club level too with 26 goals in 3,315 club minutes (as of June 21, 2026).
- D. Kamada (Crystal Palace) — 7 goals, 1 assist in 1,003 NT minutes. A midfielder who finds the net (as of June 21, 2026).
- Koki Ogawa (NEC Nijmegen) — 7 goals, 2 assists in 524 NT minutes. Efficient and dangerous whenever he gets on the pitch (as of June 21, 2026).
- T. Kubo (Real Sociedad) — 4 goals, 11 assists in 1,005 NT minutes. The creative hub. Nobody in the squad creates more (as of June 21, 2026).
- Keito Nakamura (Reims) — 4 goals, 2 assists in 667 NT minutes. Quietly one of the most productive attackers in Ligue 1 with 14 club goals (as of June 21, 2026).
- R. Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt) — 4 goals, 3 assists in 1,083 NT minutes. Hard-running, direct, and experienced (as of June 21, 2026).
- J. Ito (Genk) — 1 goal, 13 assists in 591 NT minutes. Thirteen assists. The supply line (as of June 21, 2026).
In midfield, W. Endo (Liverpool) has logged 1,042 NT minutes across 13 appearances. A. Tanaka (Leeds) adds 767 minutes and a goal. K. Sano (FSV Mainz 05) has played 4,163 club minutes this season — a workhorse (as of June 21, 2026).
At the back, K. Itakura (Ajax) has 1,041 NT minutes and leads the defensive line. H. Ito (Bayern München) brings 3,812 club minutes of Bundesliga and Champions League experience from 56 appearances. T. Watanabe (Feyenoord) adds 3,410 club minutes (as of June 21, 2026).
In goal, Z. Suzuki (Parma) has started 13 of the last 13 NT matches, logging 1,173 minutes. He is the undisputed number one (as of June 21, 2026).
What Happens Next in Group F
Japan's final group match is against Sweden on June 25 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington <a href="/matches/tunisia-vs-japan/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Tunisia — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-21T07:15:44.837Z">Match centre vs Tunisia — official record</a>. The other Group F match that day sees Tunisia face the Netherlands at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
With 4 points already banked, Japan control their own fate. A win over Sweden secures progression. Even a draw could be enough depending on other results (as of June 21, 2026).
The trajectory is clear. From the qualifying campaign to the pre-tournament friendlies to this opening pair of World Cup matches, Moriyasu has built a squad that can compete with anyone. The Netherlands found that out in the opener. Tunisia found it out more painfully.
When does Japan play their final Group F match?
Japan face Sweden on June 25, 2026, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington <a href="/matches/tunisia-vs-japan/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Tunisia — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-21T07:15:44.837Z">Match centre vs Tunisia — official record</a>. It is the last Group F matchday, with both games kicking off simultaneously.
How many points do Japan have in Group F?
Japan have 4 points from two matches — a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands and a 4-0 win over Tunisia <a href="/matches/tunisia-vs-japan/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Tunisia — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-21T07:15:44.837Z">Match centre vs Tunisia — official record</a>. A win or draw against Sweden would likely seal their place in the last 16 (as of June 21, 2026).
Who are Japan's top scorers heading into the Sweden match?
A. Ueda leads with 10 national-team goals in the last 12 months. D. Kamada and Koki Ogawa have 7 each. T. Kubo has 4 goals and a squad-high 11 assists (as of June 21, 2026).
What was Japan's form coming into the World Cup?
Japan won 9, drew 3, and lost 1 of their last 13 national-team matches before and during the tournament, scoring 24 goals and conceding 9. Notable results include a 3-2 win over Brazil and a 1-0 win away to England (as of June 21, 2026).
Who is Japan's first-choice goalkeeper?
Z. Suzuki of Parma has started all 13 of Japan's national-team matches in the last 12 months, accumulating 1,173 minutes. He is Moriyasu's clear number one (as of June 21, 2026).