Ayari brace and Isak-Gyökeres show fire Sweden top of Group F

Yasin Ayari scored twice and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres combined to devastating effect as Sweden thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in Monterrey to go top of Group F.

Sweden announced their return to the World Cup in style, sweeping aside Tunisia 5-1 in Monterrey to move to the top of Group F. Yasin Ayari bookended the rout with two long-range strikes.

Ayari set the tone after just seven minutes, and Alexander Isak doubled the lead on the half-hour, cutting inside onto his left foot and finishing low after Viktor Gyökeres had picked him out.

Tunisia briefly threatened a way back. On 43 minutes Omar Rekik rose to head home Hannibal Mejbri's inviting cross, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and giving the North Africans hope at the break.

Any comeback was snuffed out after the interval. Isak turned provider for Gyökeres to make it 3-1 on 59 minutes, substitute Mattias Svanberg needed only one touch to add a fourth on 84, and Ayari completed his brace deep in stoppage time with another thunderous effort.

The Isak and Gyökeres partnership looks like one of the tournament's most potent, and Sweden's emphatic start sends a warning to the rest of Group F. For Tunisia, and for African fans watching in Kenya, it was a chastening night, though Rekik's header at least gave them a moment to hold onto.