Summary
Thank you for joining me this evening. That was a fitting way to cap a fantastic matchday. I’ll leave you with Jonathan Wilson to rhapsodise over the Samurai Blue and see you back here for Egypt v New Zealand.
There’s already a pod out! Have they overlooked Hunky Hervé?
However, the nature of the bracket structure means the difference between finishing top or second in Group F is marginal. One will play Brazil in the round of 32, the other Morocco, in either Houston or Monterrey, in matches that take place on the same day.
Next up for Tunisia is the nightmare scenario of a dead rubber against a Netherlands side eager to pad their goal difference.
Japan take on Sweden knowing a point will be enough for them to finish second while a win brings goal difference into the mix at the top of the table.
Those matches take place concurrently on 25 June at 6pm.
“As the game nears its end, I was trying to think about what the reason for Japan’s excellence in the World Cup compared to their fellow Asian giant China’s failure to qualify for the World Cup?” asks Ezra Finkelstein.
I can’t speak to China’s struggles, but Japan are a case study in how to build a cohesive strategic approach to football development.
The game was underdeveloped until the late 20th century, but since the formation of the J.League in 1992 football has blossomed. Crucially, this growth has been strategic in its planning and expert in its execution. For example, the J.League was intentionally modelled on Germany’s Bundesliga, and was accompanied by a Hundred Year Vision. There is a Japanese National Football Philosophy, aligning the game from top to bottom, with a goal of winning the World Cup by 2050.
Head to the JFA website and there a documents celebrating the Japan Way, and you can see the results in both men’s and women’s football.
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“Crazy to think that Japan are missing Kubo, Mitoma and Endo at this World Cup,” emails an admiring Chris Paraskevas. “This is the sharpest I’ve ever seen them. They look very stable under the tutelage of Moriyasu, whose predilection for form-fitting three piece suits makes him an underrated style icon of the World Cup. I’d throw them in the conversation with Morocco as legitimate Dark Horses™.”
Surely the 2022 semi-finalists are beyond dark horse status? Besides, I thought we’d all agreed Norway were this year’s dark horses? But Japan are definitely the best Asian side at this tournament and the best placed to compete with the 2002 South Korea side that reached the semis.
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“Tunisia should go all in on the meltdown and sack their manager again,” correctly observes Saurav Sammadar. “Three managers for three matches, an unbeatable pub quiz question is not the worst way to go home.” If only Carlos Quieroz wasn’t already in a job, he would have been ideal to take over. Maybe they could call up Bora Milutinovic for one last dance?
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For the second match in a row Tunisia only just finished second. They were torn apart in a first half thrashing that did nothing to suggest the sacking of Sabri Lamouchi was a worthwhile exercise. Herve Renard yelled his lungs out during the first half, urging his new charges on, but Japan never game them a sniff.
Full-time: Tunisia 0-4 Japan
Japan watched the Netherlands make a statement in Group F earlier today and they have matched them with a comprehensive evisceration of Tunisia in Monterrey. The Samurai Blue are a serious football team.
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90+4 mins: Japan’s subs are doing their best to keep this contest moving, but this one needs no further interventions.
90+2 mins: Has this been the best matchday of the World Cup so far? Four matches full of intrigue and quality.
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90 mins: Six minutes of time added on for Tunisia to find the four goals they need to remain alive in this competition.
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89 mins: “The xG stat shown right before the fourth stated Japan had 1.02,” emails an exasperated Randy Zalubil. “How is this possible!? They’ve threatened the entire match!— explain XG to me?!”
87 mins: The host broadcaster cuts to Hajime Moriyasu in the Japan dugout. He has done a superb job with this team. And he is bullish about his side’s chances. They are here to win, not simply make up the numbers. If they continue performing like this they cannot be ruled out.
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85 mins: Ueda is immediately substituted to give Goto some game time.
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Beautiful pass and move down the right opens up the Tunisian defence, Sano stands up the cross to the far post, Ueda leaps, timing his jump like Graeme Sharp to redirect the ball beyond Dahmen and a couple of defenders on the line for good measure. The header arced like a greenside flop shot, taunting Tunisia as it floated into the back of the net.
GOAL! Tunisia 0-4 Japan (Ueda, 83)
Japan, almost apologetically, make it four.
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81 mins: “My mom, upon recognising the Tunisian coach from his stint as Saudi Arabia’s coach at the 2022 WC: ‘Has a white shirt. Will travel’.” I reckon Lillie Lovatt is not the only reader to have a mother who retains a memory of international football’s answer to Fabio.
79 mins: More changes for Japan with Seko and Y Suzuki coming on for Tomiyasu and Nakamura.
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77 mins: Ito chases an overhit ball in the right channel, Ben Hmida has to slide across and concede the corner. Japan’s industry and commitment is a thing to behold. The corner is not much chop though and Tunisia head it away.
75 mins: Tunisia win a corner on the right, which quickly becomes two corners after a short corner is blocked. The second ball is curled across, kept in the area well by Rekik, allowing Gharbi a shooting opportunity that is charged down by Japan, prompting high fives and goal-like celebrations.
71 mins: Speaking of those changes for Japan, Doan makes way for Sugawara, and Kamada for J Suzuki.
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Japan will enjoy their hydration break, safe in the knowledge they have done everything asked of them this evening. Expect Moriyasu to ring the changes for the final quarter.
Japan nail the slow-slow-quick. After a spell of calm possession across defence the ball is fizzed at speed to the feet of Ueda dropping into the No 10 position and he executes a superb one-touch flick around the corner that beats the offside trap and allows Ito to spring onto it, hold off Rekik, and roll the ball confidently under the helpless goalkeeper.
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GOAL! Tunisia 0-3 Japan (Ito, 69)
As the match begins to drift, Ito makes it three.
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66 mins: Tunisia are defending in a formation that seems to suggest they’re more focussed on retaining this scoreline than they are gambling to get back into the game. It means Japan have to move the ball more conservatively with less space than was available in the opening half.
65 mins: Valery goes for the long throw from the right again but Japan are strong in the air.
64 mins: Tunisia go to their bench again: Chaouat for Tounekti.
63 mins: Ayase wins a corner with a deflected effort after lovely interplay in the final third. Uade created space with a lovely stepover. Ito sends the ball into the box this time but it’s easily headed clear.
62 mins: Abdi does well in defence, then sets his side going forward with some neat skill to evade Ito then look long for Gharbi. Japan deal with it.
61 mins: Tunisia get some time on the ball but Japan are so busy out of possession, Tanaka’s interception seems inevitable.
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59 mins: The set piece is taken short then the angled delivery is clubbed straight into the advancing Tunisian defender. Tunisia break at speed and then want a penalty for handball against Ito for sliding in and collecting the ball on the ground, but there’s nothing doing.
58 mins: Japan are patient though, happy to execute technical triangle passing patterns down the right and earn a corner.
57 mins: Tunisia’s defensive shape is much better this half, tracking runners, denying Japan easy passing lanes.
55 mins: Hannibal has been a more visible presence this half, dropping deeper to show for the ball and moving forward with intent. His perceived pressure off the ball forces another Japanese error on their right as this game struggles to main the quality of the opening half.
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54 mins: Skhiri is caught very late and awkwardly. Doan is lucky to avoid a caution.
52 mins: Japanese fans are in full voice in Monterrey, but there team has hit a brief sticky patch. Other than the Hannibal chance there have been poor turnovers on each flank, allowing their opponents to gain a foothold in the game.
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50 mins: Hannibal has a chance! Tunisia’s first opening of the night is well worked. Gharbi instigates it as the ball is played through the lines, out to the right. The cross is low and accurate and the onrushing Burnley midfielder should sidefoot it into the net but he fails to make contact.
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48 mins: It’s a change of personnel, nit a change of structure with Tunisia still operating with a 5-3-2 and Japan a 3-4-3. One of those midfield four, Tanaka, drags a shot wide from 25m.
46 mins: Ben Hmida is straight into the action with a sliding tackle on the left as Japan continue where they left off.
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The teams are back out for the second half.
Ben Hmida is coming on for Bronn and Gharbi replaces Saad for Tunisia.
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Time for some half-time reading, and how could we go past a byline that reads: Sid Lowe in Chattanooga?
Cape Verde are not the only ones to have kept Spain out at this World Cup. Turns out it was even harder to get past security on the gate of the team hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Two days after the 0-0 draw in their opener, Luis de la Fuente gave his players the day off, a chance to clear their heads and leave the disappointment behind. Lamine Yamal went to Nashville, Dani Olmo headed for Hamilton Place mall and Rodri strolled the Tennessee river with his partner. When Borja Iglesias got back before the 9pm curfew, they didn’t recognise him and wouldn’t let him in.
“It’s a bit of a shame that the games in Monterrey so far have been night game, the view of the Cerra de La Silla mountain is breathtaking,” emails Evan Garcia.
“Of course the Azteca needs no introduction but I’m hoping that the rest of the world is noting the two other great stadiums in Mexico and maybe tries paying attention to Liga MX.”
Don’t you mean three great stadiums Evan? I reckon Guadalajara’s volcano-inspired arena is a beauty too.
Half-time: Tunisia 0-2 Japan
Japan looked very very good in that half and are well worth their lead. Tunisia are flattered by their combined 1-7 scoreline after three halves of World Cup action.
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45+4 mins: In the shadow of half-time Ben Slimane can launch a deep free-kick into the box. A Tunisian teammate wins the resulting header but it dribbles harmlessly into Suzuki’s gloves.
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45+2 mins: Why don’t you throw one over Valery? He gives it a mighty hurl into the box but Japan head the first effort away then Hannibal is penalised for a foul on Suzuki.
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45+1 mins: There are blue jerseys everywhere, perpetual motion in defence and attack. Tunisia have a decent opportunity to break but as soon as the ball is slowed down to allow teammates to join in Japan snap into the tackle then bully their way to the second ball.
45 mins: Ito dinks over a dangerous free-kick that Dahmen just about deals with. Tunisia then benefit from the bounce of the ball.
44 mins: Lovely interplay from Nakamura and Kamada on the left. The ball is eventually given away but that immediately prompts the former to dispossess Valery and send Tunisia heading backwards.
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42 mins: Tunisia are just getting no time on the ball. Sano and Kamada are winning every 50:50, intercepting at will, and the structure off the ball is blocking every passing lane.
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40 mins: Doan now prospers down the right. He lays the ball back for a deep cross to Kamada at the far post. He smartly recycles possession and Japan come back out, but the referee gives Tunisia a break with a soft free-kick.
38 mins: Almost! Ito typifies Japan’s slow-slow-quick strategy with a blistering dart in off the right wing that carves past three Tunisian defenders and into the penalty area at serious speed. Too fast perhaps, because he loses his balance and the ball runs behind for a goal kick when something magical looked in the making.
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36 mins: Japan are a neat contrast to some of the South and Central American sides we’ve seen this World Cup. They are eager to get on the ball and stroke it around their back three to control the tempo and territory, but there is a purposefulness to it that has been absent in so many of their rivals. It contains the same game management but with a real sense of a cocked fist ready to strike.
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34 mins: Japan, like group rivals the Netherlands earlier today, are announcing themselves as contenders capable of going a long way into this draw.
33 mins: Tunisia are heading out of the 2026 World Cup as things stand.
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Tunisia step off Ueda as he advances towards the right corner of the box. They regret it when the Feyenoord striker unleashes a powerful low drive that goes through Talbi’s legs and arrows into the far corner of Dahmen’s net. Stunning finish.
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GOAL! Tunisia 0-2 Japan (Ueda, 31)
Japan make it two, and it’s no less than they deserve.
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28 mins: Renard continues to strain his neck and bellow at the absolute top of his voice. It’s like that time Alan Partridge was unheard in a car park. His team are putting in a shift but they are a step down in quality from Japan.
So desperate for content you need your eyeballs occupying for the two minutes the ads are on? How about a Team of the Tournament (minus the superstars) argument starter.
23 mins: Japan slow the tempo down, which has been pretty lively, working the slow-slow quick routine to try and exploit room down the right. Tunisia are alive to it and are rewarded with a quick drink and a telling off from the substitute teacher.
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21 mins: Japan have not fashioned any further shots on goal in the past ten minutes but have threatened with a couple of balls over the top, some broken play in midfield, and strategic build-up down the left. They are a multiple threat
20 mins: Renard is absolutely screaming his lungs out on the touchline, urging his team to follow his instructions. He looks like a senior officer from House Lannister demanding his troops lay down their lives for Casterly Rock.
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19 mins: The Japanese FA have been building towards this since the creation of the J-League and hosting of the 2002 World Cup. It is a testament to bold ambition and strategic organisation. And it’s clearly no accident because the Japanese women’s team also play like this.
18 mins: In Moriyasu’s 3-4-3 Japan have the ability to appear to both pack the midfield and operate with constant width. With their technical ability and speed of ball movement it makes for a lovely watch.
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16 mins: Saad curls over an outswinger but Itakura gets his head to it first, then attacks the second ball and Japan can break at speed. Kamada has options ahead of him but Ben Slimane does superbly to stop the move in its tracks.
14 mins: Tunisia have regrouped after a ten minute Japanese siege but the Samurai Blue are so busy in defence the North Africans are allowed no time on the ball. They do win a corner on the right though. They will need to make the most of set pieces.
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13 mins: I’m not a fan of technology in football, but that is a great example of how it can be used effectively. I would have given that in real time. Geoff Hurst would have celebrappealed without even turning to look at the referee.
12 mins: Oh wow, that is absurd. Replays show the ball was kept out by the width of a bee’s wing. That would have made a grand slam crowd “oooh” when Hawkeye reveals a tennis ball just clipping the outside edge of the line.
10 mins: SO CLOSE TO TWO AGAIN! The corner comes across, Dahmen flaps it away from the danger zone but not completely clear. Tomiyasu drills it back in, it’s deflected towards goal and looks like it may have crossed the line, only for Dahmen to somehow claw it back with an absolutely heroic piece of goalkeepeing. That is as close as they come without being awarded.
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9 mins: SO CLOSE TO TWO! Suzuki goes long, Talbi lets it bounce, Ueda does superbly to win possession and square across the six yard box but Bronn does superbly to slide in, avoid the own goal, and deflect the ball away for a corner.
8 mins: This is energetic and direct from Japan, they are leaving nothing to chance following the Netherlands’ hammering of Sweden earlier today.
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6 mins: Ueda is almost in immediately afterwards but he can’t find the target with a half-chance.
I say “stab it home”, in truth it was a deflection that ricocheted off the Crystal Palace man as Tunisia were unable to do anything with a wicked cross facing their own goal. Not that dissimilar to Australia’s own goal against the US or Egypt’s against Belgium.
GOAL! Tunisia 0-1 Japan (Kamada, 4)
Japan go straight down the other end, Nakamura reaches the byline on the left, squares the ball at pace and Kamada is there to stab it home.
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3 mins: Hannibal showed his confidence and ambition against Sweden, and he demonstrates his composure on the big stage again, curling a fraction over the apex of bar and post from the edge of the box. However …
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2 mins: Tunisia have a bit of pep in their press as Japan try to settle into possession. Ito clears it with a lovely ball down the left channel, and from the resulting throw Japan should have a penalty! Shkiri comes right through the back of Ueda, doesn’t take the ball, but neither the referee nor VAR are interested. After a great start to the tournament the refereeing increasingly feels like a lottery.
Kick-off!
The final fixture of a scintillating matchday is under way…
As Peter Oh points out, “the flags of these two countries are a nearly perfect contrast. Here’s to a red-hot white-hot display of the world’s game!”
There’s our first glimpse of hunky Hervé, and yes, he is in his trademark white dress shirt, stalking the technical area like a leonine hedge fund manager.
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The two teams are ready to go, making their way out into the Guadalupe night air. Tunisia are all in white this evening, Japan all blue.
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These sides have met once before at the World Cup, back in 2002. The result prompted this glorious Guardian headline:
By contrast, Japan were on a six game winning streak before drawing the Netherlands and have suffered just two defeats in their past 27 outings. Before shipping a couple against the Dutch, Japan had gone five matches with conceding.
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Tunisia come into this fixture off the back of three consecutive defeats and just one win in their past eight. They have scored just twice in their past five matches.
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This is an insightful column on watching the World Cup through a coach’s eyes from the excellent Emma Hayes. The entry point is hydration breaks, but there’s more to it than just that.
I agree with Arsène Wenger; I want the ball in play more. I want goal-kicks taken quicker, I want throw-ins taken quicker. I want the ball in play for at least 60 minutes a game, so I like some of the new rule changes that have been introduced. The average ball-in-play time has been about 40 seconds down compared with 2022 at 57 minutes and 22 seconds, but when you factor in the hydration breaks and remove the time it takes for those breaks from the total match-time, the ball-in-play percentage has risen slightly.
There are already enough stoppages in games, so the last thing we want is more . But, for now, it’s there. On ITV, we used it by broadcasting tactical analysis, which was an idea of one of the producers and I felt I was doing what I do every day as coach; trying to simplify complex ideas in a concise way.
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I realise an element of the apparent buffness is the way their sleeves have been stuffed with technology, reminiscent of Matthew McConaughey concealing a pack of smokes in his t-shirt in Dazed and Confused.
Match officials tonight are from Romania, led by 2025 Champions League final referee István Kovács. Sidenote: don’t all the refs look buff in their very smart Adidas kits.
As Dr. Jithin Yesudas Varghese informs me, this is the 1,000th match in World Cup history.
With the ever expanding format we’ll cross the 2,000 threshold in no time.
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Conditions should be fine tonight with no wind or rain, and temperatures in the mid-20s. There was a risk of the match being affected by thunderstorms but that appears to have passed.
This evening’s match is taking place at the impressive Estadio BBVA, known for the duration of the World Cup as Monterrey Stadium. The 53,000 capacity arena is nicknamed the Steel Giant, and was opened in 2015.
It is famed for its view of Cerro de la Silla, a nearby mountain with a highest peak of almost 6,000 feet. The steep stands and proximity of seating to the pitch will help the atmosphere.
Tunisia have already tasted defeat here, losing 5-1 to Sweden in the opening round of matches.
Joe Pearson, it’s lovely to hear from you. “Fear not the time zones. World Cup die hards will always be there for you. Living in the Eastern Time Zone, I seem to recall getting up at four or so in the morning to watch matches from the South Korea edition. Admittedly much younger then, but I’ll be with you tonight as long as I can make it (Narrator: It won’t be long).”
You’re a trooper Joe. It’s appreciated.
“This match is mostly interesting from a coaching point of view for mine,” emails Stephen Hogg. “We have a really nice experiment to see what the value is of having a long-standing coach (Moriyasu), given that Hervé Renard has had about 30 seconds to do anything with his squad. Renard is Renard though, so he likely hasn’t been sitting still. Preparations on both sides for this one would be a bit unusual as a result.”
Renard was mightily unfortunate not to be at this World Cup to begin with after qualifying with Saudi Arabia. He took over from Roberto Mancini (who was doing a lousy job) during the group phase, and saw them over the line in the continental playoffs. His fortunate replacement Georgios Donis, is hardly Rinus Michels either.
Japan come into today’s game as clear favourites and ready to shake off the tag of popular nearly-men.
Japan won six out of six in the first round of qualifying and then seven out of 10 in the second, losing just once, a remarkable achievement given the distances involved and the huge variety of opponents and conditions. But being the best in Asia is no longer enough, and a run of six successive friendly wins since, including over England and Brazil, is arguably even more important than qualifying with three games to spare, for reasons of self-belief if nothing else.
Injuries have hit them hard. The captain Wataru Endo withdrew from the squad this week, while the loss of Kaoru Mitoma to a hamstring injury sustained playing for Brighton against Wolves in May is a major blow, particularly with Takumi Minamino rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament. It says much about the development of Japanese football, though, that their absences are not seen as terminal. That Minamino has travelled with the squad to offer moral support suggests their togetherness.
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Japan XI
Changes for Japan too with Tomiyasu and Itakura stiffening the back three, and Ito and Tanaka coming into the front three. Kubo misses out through injury and the lively playmaker is a big loss to a side already missing Minamino and Mitoma.
Expect the same 3-4-3 structure that has served Moriyasu well in recent months as he has built Japan from a side capable of dominating Asia to one equipped to handle the rest of the world.
Japan (3-4-3) 1 Suzuki; 22 Tomiyasu, 4 Itakura, 21 Ito; 10 Doan, 24 Sano, 15 Kamada, 13 Nakamura; 14 Ito, 7 Tanaka, 18 Ueda.
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Tunisia XI
Renard has immediately stamped his authority on this Tunisian side. He’s replaced the goalkeeper Chamakh (who only scored a 3 on Guardian’s player ratings for the opening match), brought Dylan Bronn into the back three, and handed a start to Sebastien Tounekti in the front three. It looks as though Mejbri, the chief outlet against Sweden, will play in a midfield two rather than as a floating No 10.
Tunisia (5-3-2): 16 Dahmen, 20 Valery, 2 Abdi, 3 Talbi, 4 Rekik, 6 Bronn; 17 Skhiri 10 Mejbri; 26 Tounekti, 25 Ben Slimane, 8 Saad.
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Preparations for this tournament, and this match in particular, have not gone smoothly for Tunisia. But it’s always nice to have Herve Renard and his fitted white dress shirt on the touchline.
Tunisia have sacked their head coach Sabri Lamouchi and appointed Hervé Renard until the end of the World Cup, after losing their opening game 5-1 to Sweden.
Former Nottingham Forest manager Lamouchi had only taken over in January and was in charge for just five matches, but he has become the first coach to be dismissed after a single game of a World Cup finals.
A statement from the Federation Tunisienne de Football announced the “termination of its contractual relationship” with Lamouchi by mutual agreement. Renard will bring World Cup experience having led Saudi Arabia to a surprise 2-1 win over eventual champions Argentina in Qatar, and he also took charge of Morocco in 2018. The 57-year-old has also managed Ivory Coast, Zambia and Angola at international level.
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Slight tangent, but I think you’ll enjoy it.
I am unlikely to be in Dublin September, but if I was I would make sure to visit an exhibition at Hen’s Teeth featuring original paintings of all of Roy Keane’s career red cards. The promotional image is a painting of Keane stamping on Gareth Southgate in an FA Cup semi-final.
I have no connection to the artist or the venue, but it popped up in my feed and I thought it looked brilliant.
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Ed Aarons was in Kansas City to witness the smallest nation in World Cup history securing their maiden point at the finals.
With well over an hour to kick-off there’s plenty of time for an update from Chandler and Joey / Will and Grace / 2 Broke Girls or whatever your preferred combination of New York flatmates happens to be, on the World Cup Daily podcast.
Bracketology has been a godsend, hasn’t it? With the final round of group matches hoving into view it has never been more valuable. I might be crazy, but I now have England taking on DR Congo in the round of 32.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Tunisia v Japan from Estadio Monterrey. Kick-off in this Group F clash is 9pm local time (12am EDT/5am BST/2pm AEST).
Wherever you happen to be in the world thank you for keeping me company on what is perhaps the graveyard shift of the entire tournament. There isn’t the novelty of the first round of group matches, there isn’t the jeopardy of the third, and our cups already runneth over thanks to three of the matches of the World Cup so far already this matchday.
Moreover, Tunisia were so bad against Sweden the other day they sacked their manager on the spot, while Japan looked tidy against the Netherlands, suggesting the result might not require the clairvoyance of Paul the octopus.
That is not to say there is nothing at stake. Tunisia must get a positive result to remain alive in the competition. Japan will want to secure their place in the knockout stages before a clash with a Sweden side that boats one of the most impressive forward lines in the draw.
Maybe, for all my pessimism, we will be treated to a cracker.
I’ll be back shortly with team news and a roundup of all the matchday action so far. In the meantime you can keep an enjoy the fallout from Curacao somehow denying Ecuador in Group E and email any thoughts about the World Cup to jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.
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The first result to plug into the matrix this matchday was the Netherlands announcing themselves as serious contenders with a 5-1 thumping of Sweden in a highly entertaining affair. It’s over to Japan to keep pace in Group F.
When given oxygen the Netherlands were simply too good, scoring straight after the restart when Summerville twisted Sweden inside out and allowed Dumfries to cross again. Gakpo could not miss from a couple of yards and, enjoying a wildly productive afternoon of his own, proceeded to score another. This time he took a pass from Summerville, who had not been deemed fit to start, and cracked low to Kristoffer Nordfeldt’s right from 20 yards.
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Germany boast a supremely talented squad and innvoative young coach, but their World Cup hopes always threatened to come down to the ability of the unfancied Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav to find the back of the net. So far so good.
Some footballing stereotypes just will not fade away. Germany may no longer be the mirthless, methodical winning machine who would slowly maul their opponents until they inevitably engineered victory, but, evidently, they still know how to fashion match-winners from final moments.
Consequently, the Germans will play in the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in 12 years after another victory at the death. Côte d’Ivoire had gone ahead in a lively encounter on Saturday through Franck Kessié’s 30th-minute goal for Les Éléphants. But it was cancelled out by Deniz Undav’s 68th-minute equaliser and 94th-minute winner for Die Mannschaft.
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