Saudi Arabia have developed a remarkable habit of taking control early in FIFA World Cup matches played in the United States.

The Green Falcons have now led at half-time in all four of their World Cup group-stage matches played on American soil. The sequence began at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, when Saudi Arabia went into the interval ahead in each of their three group matches against the Netherlands, Morocco and Belgium.

Thirty-two years later, at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia maintained the trend by holding a half-time lead in their Group H opener against Uruguay before eventually settling for a draw.

The statistic underlines Saudi Arabia’s ability to make fast starts in World Cup matches played in the United States, a trait that helped them reach the Round of 16 in their debut World Cup appearance in 1994.

Saudi Arabia’s World Cup Group Matches in the USA

• 1994: Led the Netherlands at half-time
• 1994: Led Morocco at half-time
• 1994: Led Belgium at half-time
• 2026: Led Uruguay at half-time

Record: 4 matches, 4 half-time leads.

 

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Japan made history in style on Saturday, thrashing Tunisia 4-0 in Monterrey in the 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history and becoming the first Asian nation to score four goals in a World Cup match.

The emphatic Group F victory also sealed Tunisia’s elimination from the tournament after a second successive heavy defeat, while Japan moved level on four points with the Netherlands at the top of the group.

Having drawn 2-2 with the Dutch in their opening match, Japan wasted no time asserting their dominance. Just four minutes into the contest, a flowing attacking move culminated in Keito Nakamura cutting the ball back for Daichi Kamada, who calmly slotted home to give the Samurai Blue an early lead.

Tunisia, who had already suffered a 5-1 loss to Sweden in their opening game and were playing under newly appointed coach Herve Renard, found themselves under relentless pressure from the outset. Japan’s aggressive pressing and swift movement repeatedly exposed weaknesses in the North African side’s defence.

The Asians nearly doubled their advantage in the 11th minute when Tunisia defender Dylan Bronn diverted a dangerous low cross away from Kamada. From the resulting corner, goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen was forced into an excellent save, with goal-line technology confirming that the ball had not crossed the line.

Japan continued to dictate proceedings and were rewarded with a second goal in the 31st minute. Striker Ayase Ueda collected the ball outside the penalty area, advanced unchallenged and fired a low shot into the far corner beyond Dahmen.

“I was disappointed in the last tournament, so I feel like I’ve finally been able to redeem myself,” Ueda said afterwards.

“We managed to snatch one point in the first match, which was a tough game, so we needed three points today. I’m very happy that I was able to contribute.”

Tunisia struggled to create meaningful opportunities and rarely threatened the Japanese goal. Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 69th minute when Kamada’s incisive pass split the Tunisian defence, allowing Junya Ito to race through and finish coolly past Dahmen for Japan’s third.

Ueda completed the rout six minutes from time, rising to meet Kaishu Sano’s clipped cross at the far post and directing a superb header into the top corner.

The victory was particularly satisfying for Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, who had entrusted Kamada and Ito with key attacking responsibilities in the absence of injured midfielder Takefusa Kubo.

“Regarding the players I used in building up the team, they were at the centre of all our efforts,” Moriyasu said.

“I brought Kamada on as a defensive midfielder before, but tonight I wanted him to play as a shadow striker. It really worked because he scored a goal and constantly pushed into the final third. His play gave strong momentum to the team.”

The result leaves Japan and the Netherlands on four points after the Dutch hammered Sweden 5-1 earlier in the day. Tunisia, meanwhile, became the third team eliminated from the tournament, following Haiti and Turkey, after conceding nine goals in two matches and failing to register a point.
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The United States will ​continue to assess the Iran squad’s travel arrangements at the World Cup but for now the original plan remains in ‌place despite the team saying they would lodge a complaint with FIFA, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the tournament, told Reuters on Saturday.

Iran are unhappy at restrictions that mean they can only travel to venues within 24 hours of their fixtures and must depart back to their ​training base in Tijuana, Mexico, directly after each game, with coach Amir Ghalenoei suggesting his side were “the most oppressed team ​in the whole World Cup”.

Giuliani, however, says the situation is fluid, and they will discuss what measures will ⁠be in place for Iran’s third game against Egypt in Seattle on Friday, after they meet with Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday.

“The situation ​is dynamic,” Giuliani said in an exclusive interview in Houston. “We have a plan right now. Tomorrow afternoon (after the match against Belgium), they ​will take the 27-minute flight back to Tijuana.

“We will see how it goes for match two, and then there will be discussions the day after in terms of what it looks like for match three in Seattle.”

Giuliani defended the measures in place and said the pre-tournament change in training bases for the ​side from Tucson to Tijuana had shortened Iran’s travel time.

“The shift from Tucson to Tijuana, I think, was good for everybody involved; certainly ​it reduces their travel time to Los Angeles too,” he said. “Their flight is an hour shorter than it would be from Tucson. And we’re happy ‌with the ⁠way that things went for match one in Los Angeles.

“I would just point to the fact that all players have received visas. All the coaches have received visas. There are some team officials who have not received visas, and that’s because we’ve seen some derogatory information on them, and this is the balance that we talk about.”

PROTECTING INTERESTS OF U.S.

Giuliani said the goal has always been to protect ​the interests of the United States ​and the international visitors at ⁠the World Cup.

“We want to make sure we have this incredible soccer tournament, where people are welcome and enjoy the World Cup, while also making sure that we are not just protecting American citizens, ​but we’re also protecting all those international visitors that are coming here,” he said.

He revealed that ​no threats to the ⁠tournament had been identified, but that officials remain vigilant.

“What I can tell you is our intelligence community has tripled down on this since the beginning of this year,” he said. “We’re in discussions every hour on it. But there have been no credible threats at this moment.”

Giuliani has ⁠been pleased ​with the opening 10 days of the World Cup.

“Things are going as planned,” he ​said. “It’s been fantastic to see the great play on the pitch, which seems to be the majority of the conversation, which has been fantastic.

“I think this is an ​amazing celebration of America over our 250th birthday, with the World Cup being the incredible highlight.”

-Reuters

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