By Kunle Solaja

Tunisia became the second African team to suffer defeat at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a ruthless Sweden side powered to a 5-1 victory in their Group F opener on Sunday.

The North Africans followed South Africa, who lost to Mexico in the tournament’s opening match, onto the list of African teams beaten so far, while Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire have provided brighter moments for the continent with draws and victories, respectively.

Sweden, meanwhile, produced one of the most emphatic performances of the tournament, with midfielder Yasin Ayari scoring twice and strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres also finding the net.

The five-goal haul marked Sweden’s highest-scoring World Cup performance since their 8-0 Demolition of Cuba at the 1938 finals.

Ironically, the star of the evening had strong North African roots. Ayari, whose father is Tunisian and whose mother is Moroccan, opened and closed the scoring with two spectacular strikes.

The breakthrough came after only seven minutes when Tunisia goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh failed to deal with pressure from Isak while attempting to clear the ball. The loose ball eventually fell to Ayari, who unleashed a powerful effort into the net to give Sweden an early advantage.

The goal immediately put Tunisia’s game plan under strain.

Having set out to defend compactly and attack on the counter, the Eagles of Carthage found themselves chasing the game. Their problems deepened in the 30th minute when Sweden struck on a devastating counterattack.

After winning possession deep inside their own half, Gyokeres quickly released Isak down the left flank. The Newcastle United striker drove at defender Montassar Talbi before cutting inside and firing past Chamakh to double Sweden’s lead.

Tunisia struggled to create meaningful opportunities but found a lifeline just before halftime. Defender Omar Rekik rose superbly to guide a glancing header into the net from his side’s first shot on target, reducing the deficit to 2-1.

The goal briefly raised hopes of a Tunisian comeback, but Sweden reasserted control after the interval.

The dangerous partnership of Isak and Gyokeres finally clicked again on the hour mark when Isak dispossessed Ellyes Skhiri and set up Gyokeres for a simple finish that restored Sweden’s two-goal cushion.

Any lingering Tunisian hopes disappeared in the closing stages.

Substitute Mattias Svanberg made an immediate impact in the 84th minute, scoring shortly after coming off the bench. Although the goal was initially ruled out for offside, a VAR review overturned the decision and awarded Sweden their fourth goal.

Ayari then completed the rout deep into stoppage time with another stunning long-range strike that left Chamakh helpless and sent the Swedish supporters into celebration.

The result lifted Sweden to the top of Group F on goal difference ahead of Japan and the Netherlands, who drew 2-2 earlier in the day.

Sweden coach Graham Potter praised his side’s composure after Tunisia had reduced the deficit before halftime.

“It’s football, so you know anything can happen, especially at 2-1, but I thought the boys played with stability and calmness throughout the game,” Potter said.

He also reserved special praise for his attacking duo.

“They haven’t played that much together, so it’s going to get better the more they play. It’s nice for them to score goals, and it convinces them they are on the right path.”

For Tunisia coach Sabri Lamouchi, however, it was a painful night.

“It’s a difficult loss. It’s painful. Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult,” he admitted.

“We made too many mistakes, and this is not something that we can do. We are shooting ourselves in the foot; we are hurting ourselves.”

The defeat was particularly sobering for a Tunisian defence that had not conceded a single goal during their qualifying campaign.

Now, with a heavy defeat on the board, the Eagles of Carthage face an uphill battle to revive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage for the first time in their World Cup history.

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By Kunle Solaja.

Ecuador’s record unbeaten streak came to a painful end on Sunday as Côte d’Ivoire snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory in their FIFA World Cup Group E opener, denying the South Americans a place in the record books.

For much of the contest, Ecuador appeared poised to extend their national-team record unbeaten run to 20 matches. Having gone 19 consecutive games without defeat — a sequence comprising eight wins and 11 draws — they were within minutes of preserving that remarkable record.

Instead, a late goal from Amad Diallo shattered Ecuador’s hopes and handed the Elephants a memorable victory on their return to the World Cup after a 12-year absence.

With the match deadlocked at 0-0 and heading towards what would have been the tournament’s first scoreless draw, Amad struck in the closing stages to seal all three points for the African side.

The goal not only transformed the outcome of the match but also brought an abrupt end to Ecuador’s longest-ever unbeaten sequence.

The South Americans had looked capable of extending their impressive run after creating several scoring opportunities throughout the encounter. They twice struck the crossbar during the first half and often appeared the more threatening side.

However, their inability to convert those chances proved costly.

As the clock ticked down, Ecuador seemed destined to preserve their unbeaten record and collect a valuable point. Instead, Côte d’Ivoire’s late breakthrough turned celebration into heartbreak.

The defeat marks Ecuador’s first loss in 20 matches and represents a significant setback in a group that already features four-time world champions Germany.

For Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, the victory continues an encouraging resurgence under coach Emerse Faé. The Elephants now sit level on three points with Germany, who earlier crushed Curaçao 7-1 in the other Group E fixture.

The result sets up a mouth-watering clash between the two group leaders in the next round of matches, while Ecuador will face Curaçao knowing that anything less than victory could severely damage their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

For Ecuador, the disappointment will be particularly acute because the record-breaking 20th unbeaten match was within touching distance.

Instead, it is Côte d’Ivoire who leave with the points, while one of international football’s longest active unbeaten runs comes to an end on the biggest stage of all.

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By Kunle Solaja.

A dramatic late goal from Manchester United winger Amad Diallo rescued Côte d’Ivoire from a frustrating evening and secured a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their opening FIFA World Cup Group E match on Sunday.

The contest appeared destined to become the first goalless draw of the 2026 World Cup before Amad struck in the 90th minute to hand the Elephants all three points and spark jubilant celebrations among the African side.

The late winner capped a hard-fought encounter in which Ecuador had created several of the clearer scoring opportunities and will feel unfortunate to leave empty-handed.

The South Americans twice struck the crossbar during an entertaining first half and repeatedly threatened to break the deadlock, but failed to convert their chances.

As the match wore on, both teams struggled to find the decisive touch in front of goal, and a scoreless stalemate looked increasingly inevitable.

However, just as players and supporters were beginning to prepare for a draw, Amad produced the breakthrough.

The Manchester United attacker found the net in the final minute of regulation time, ensuring the Elephants made a winning return to the World Cup after a 12-year absence.

The goal denied Ecuador what would have been a deserved point and transformed the mood in the Ivorian camp.

The victory gives Côte d’Ivoire an ideal start to their campaign and leaves them level on three points with Germany at the top of Group E.

Germany had earlier made a powerful statement by thrashing tournament debutants Curaçao 7-1, setting up a potentially decisive showdown between the group leaders in the next round of matches.

For Côte d’Ivoire, the result represents a successful return to football’s biggest stage after missing the last three World Cups. It also highlights the growing influence of Amad, whose composure in front of goal delivered one of the tournament’s most dramatic moments so far.

Ecuador, meanwhile, will be left to reflect on missed opportunities after coming close on several occasions, particularly during a first half in which they twice rattled the woodwork.

Despite the defeat, the South Americans showed enough quality to suggest they remain strong contenders to advance from the group.

But on a night when a draw seemed the most likely outcome, it was Amad’s late intervention that ultimately made the difference, giving Côte d’Ivoire a precious victory and ensuring Group E remains one of the most intriguing sections of the tournament.

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