BY OUR MAN ON THE SPOT IN GUADALUPE
GRAHAM POTTER’s Swedish revolution got off to a truly magical start in Mexico as his relentless side left Tunisia’s heavily praised defense in absolute tatters.
A breathtaking five-goal demolition job at the Monterrey Stadium proved that the Swedes aren’t just here to make up the numbers in Group F—they are here to completely take it over.
The Eagles of Carthage arrived at the tournament boasting a historic qualification campaign where they hadn’t conceded a single goal. Last night, it took Potter’s men exactly seven minutes to turn that proud record into dust.
The star of the show was undoubtedly Brighton’s rising star Yasin Ayari. The 22-year-old opened the floodgates early with a 25-yard thunderbolt that left Tunisian goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh clutching at thin air.
Yet, instead of sliding across the turf, Ayari offered a muted, solemn wave of apology. Born to a Tunisian father, the midfielder chose to respect his heritage rather than celebrate his genius.
But there was no time for sentimentality as the Premier League quality of this Swedish side began to overwhelm their African opponents. On the half-hour mark, Liverpool’s dynamic frontman Alexander Isak turned on the afterburners.
Darting in from the left flank after a rapid counter-attack, Isak cut inside and unleashed a fierce strike. Chamakh got a hand to it, but the sheer power carried it home to make it 2-0.
Tunisia briefly threatened to spoil the party just before the interval. Birmingham City’s Hannibal Mejbri floated a delightful, teasing cross into the box, allowing Omar Rekik to completely escape his marker and head past Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
Any hopes of a North African comeback evaporated into thin air during a catastrophic second half for Tunisia. In the 59th minute, skipper Ellyes Skhiri was caught sleepwalking on the edge of his own penalty box by a relentless Isak.
The Liverpool man mercilessly robbed him of possession and squared it to Arsenal’s lethal weapon, Viktor Gyökeres, who rifled home a close-range finish. It marked a staggering 15th goal in 16 international appearances for Europe’s most feared marksman.
Potter rang the changes late on to keep the energy levels sky-high, and substitute Mattias Svanberg got in on the act in the 83rd minute, latching onto another Isak flick and slots home after a prolonged, agonizing VAR check finally confirmed he was onside.
Appropriately, the man who started the demolition ended it. Deep into stoppage time, Ayari picked up the ball outside the box yet again and unleashed an absolute scorching drive into the side netting.
This time, the youngster allowed himself a smile.
Five goals, three points, and a statement performance that will have the rest of the tournament on high alert. Graham Potter’s Sweden are firing on all cylinders.
Goalscorers
Sweden: Yasin Ayari (7′, 90+6′), Alexander Isak (30′), Viktor Gyökeres (58′), Mattias Svanberg (83′)
Tunisia: Omar Rekik (42′)
