Tunisia did not lose once in 10 qualifying matches for this World Cup, but neither Equatorial Guinea nor Liberia boast the level of Yasin Ayari, Alexander Isak or Viktor Gyokeres.
Assisted by Arsenal centre-forward Gyokeres and a toothless goalkeeper, Ayari and Isak both scored inside the first half-hour as Sweden celebrated their first World Cup finals appearance in eight years with a 5-1 win over Group F shockers Tunisia.
Gyokeres scored his goal 14 minutes after the break, calming the Swedes following Omar Rekik’s header for Tunisia shortly before the break. Mattias Svanberg scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute player in the 84th minute, then minutes later, Ayari scored his second goal.
Ayari, a 22-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion player, knelt in prayer following his first goal in the seventh minute. Maybe he was asking for forgiveness from his Tunisian father, Azzouz. Mama Amina, from Morocco, would, of course, shine. Many neutrals, too, followed the strike line.
Mouhib Chamakh was somewhat at fault, using his goal to hit Isak with a long ball but it hit a weak chest. Gyokeres collected himself, then lifted the ball over the injured keeper to force an unsatisfying clearance from Montassar Talbi.
As if tired of the hustling and hustling, Ayari grabbed one touch, then fired a thunderbolt that traveled between Chamakh’s gloves and past the hapless Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida on the line.
