Japan did not so much beat Tunisia as dismantle them. By the time Ayase Ueda added his second of the evening in the 83rd minute to complete a 4-0 victory in Monterrey, Herve Renard's side had managed a total of zero shots on target across 95 minutes of football. Japan were not merely better; they were in a different conversation entirely.
The tone was set inside four minutes. Keito Nakamura found Daichi Kamada in the area and the goal was scored before Tunisia had time to settle into their shape. For a side already carrying the weight of an opening defeat, conceding so early was close to ruinous. Japan's 3-4-2-1 operated with a compactness and intensity that gave Tunisia's front three nothing to work with, and the statistics bore that out with some severity. An expected goals figure of 0.05 for the Carthage Eagles is not an unlucky number; it is an honest one.
Ueda's first, on 31 minutes, was the goal that buried any lingering hope of a Tunisian comeback. Ko Itakura, who had no business being so influential from centre-back, supplied the assist, and Ueda's finish made the interval scoreline feel both inevitable and conclusive. Japan went in 2-0 up having had eight of their eventual eleven shots from inside the box. Tunisia had one.
The second half began with Renard making changes, but the pattern did not shift. Japan held 62 per cent of possession across the match, completed 89 per cent of their passes, and showed the kind of collective discipline that makes a side difficult to press and impossible to unsettle. In the 69th minute, Junya Ito made it three, turning in an assist from Ueda, who had by that point become the most dangerous player on the pitch by some distance. That Ueda then turned provider to set up his own goal is the sort of statline that rewards a second reading.
Ueda's second, from a Kaishu Sano assist in the 83rd minute, confirmed a performance that bordered on authoritative. Two goals and an assist from the striker left Japan with six goals scored in their two Group F matches and four points alongside Netherlands at the top of the table. Tunisia, with nine conceded and none won, are effectively finished at this tournament.
Hannibal Mejbri was Tunisia's most willing participant, running at defenders and attempting to create something from very little, but the supply lines dried up quickly and stayed dry. Ellyes Skhiri and Ali Abdi tried to impose themselves in midfield but were overrun by the combination of Ao Tanaka's energy and Sano's range. Dylan Bronn lasted only until half-time, replaced by Amine Ben Hmida as Renard attempted a structural fix to a problem that was never purely structural.
For Japan, this was a performance built on collective excellence rather than individual flourish, though Ueda provided both. Nakamura, Sano, and Itakura each picked up assists. Tanaka was a quiet constant in the engine room. Zion Suzuki had almost nothing to do in goal, which was its own kind of compliment to the back three in front of him.
Japan are through the group phase in all but name. Tunisia, who have one match left and a goal difference of minus eight, need a result that the mathematics of this tournament are unlikely to provide.