Ueda double leads ruthless Japan to 4-0 rout of Tunisia

Ayase Ueda scored twice and Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito also netted as Japan thrashed Tunisia 4-0 in Monterrey. The Samurai Blue join the Netherlands at the top of Group F; Tunisia are out.

Japan delivered the most complete performance of their World Cup so far, brushing Tunisia aside 4-0 at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey to move level with the Netherlands at the top of Group F. Ayase Ueda scored twice, and the Samurai Blue barely had to get out of second gear.

The tone was set inside four minutes. Daichi Kamada drove into the box and finished early, the kind of fast start that tells the underdog it is going to be a long night. Tunisia had no time to settle, and Japan smelled blood.

Ueda doubled the lead on thirty-one minutes. The Feyenoord striker, fresh off winning the Eredivisie golden boot with twenty-four goals, did what he does best, getting across his marker to convert. At 2-0 by the break, the contest was effectively over.

Japan kept their foot down after the interval. Junya Ito lashed in a third on sixty-nine minutes, and Ueda completed his brace on eighty-three to make it four. Each goal carried the same hallmark: patient build-up, a sudden burst, and a clean finish.

The gulf in class was total. Japan finished with ten shots to three and five on target to one, dominating the ball and picking Tunisia apart at will. Keito Nakamura and the European-based midfield ran the game, and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was barely troubled.

For Tunisia, this was a second straight hammering. Hervé Renard's side were beaten 5-1 by Sweden in their opener, and another four conceded leaves them bottom of the group and out of contention. Hannibal Mejbri and Omar Rekik battled, but the gap to Japan was simply too wide.

Japan, by contrast, look like the real deal. Hajime Moriyasu's team held the Netherlands in their opener and have now put four past an African side without reply. Our Asia round-one verdict flagged Japan as the continent's best hope, and performances like this are why so many neutrals fancy them as dark horses.

For Kenyan fans, Japan are a joy to watch, a side packed with familiar European faces who play fast, clean, attacking football. Wajapani wamekuja na mpango kabambe: the Japanese have come with a serious plan. On this evidence, very few teams in this tournament will relish facing them.