MONTERREY, Mexico — In the landmark 1,000th match of the FIFA World Cup, Japan made their mark history at Estadio BBVA on Saturday.
Japan achieved a convincing 4-0 victory over Tunisia, surpassing their previous record for the largest winning margin in the tournament, which had been two goals. This win also marked the biggest victory for an Asian nation in World Cup history.
This result significantly advanced the Samurai Blue’s chances of reaching the round of 32 while simultaneously eliminating their North African rivals.
More noteworthy than the four-goal margin was the dominant performance, as Japan maintained control throughout the match, fulfilling the rising expectations for a team that has remained in the world rankings’ top 20 since 2022.
To secure their place in the knockout round, Japan now only needs to avoid a loss against Sweden in their final Group F match on Thursday. However, given their strong showing thus far, further impressive performances are anticipated from a team that is openly aiming for World Cup glory this summer, a sentiment echoed by Daichi Kamada, who netted their first goal against Tunisia.
“This three points are crucial for us,” he expressed to ESPN following the victory. “We had to secure these three points from this game.
“We haven’t qualified yet—whether in first, second, or third place.
“But today, we’ve achieved something.”
“We truly want to win this World Cup, and I hope to contribute even more.”
In addition to a team milestone, Japan also witnessed individual record-tying achievements during their victory over Tunisia.
Following up his dramatic equalizer in their opening 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, Kamada scored the first goal on Saturday. This accomplishment tied him for the most goals scored by a Japanese player in a single men’s World Cup, joining the ranks of Junichi Inamoto (2002), Keisuke Honda (2010), and Ritsu Dōan (2022).
Japan forward Ayase Ueda matched Kamada’s tally with two goals after Kamada’s opener, leaving both players with the opportunity to set a new record if they score again in the tournament.
For Kamada, his impressive start in this World Cup marks a redemption arc, as he felt his performance in 2022 was below par.
“Honestly, my play during the last World Cup in Qatar was not up to my standards,” the Crystal Palace midfielder admitted.
“This World Cup has provided me with so much motivation.
“I’ve dedicated the last four years to training since the last World Cup. Fortunately, I’ve already scored two goals and contributed to the team, but I aim to do even more.”
After the Netherlands match, Kamada became somewhat of a social media sensation, largely due to his description of not knowing much about his crucial goal against the Dutch, as Kōki Ogawa‘s header skimmed off his head before going in.
In Saturday’s game, he had little chance to react when Keito Nakamura broke free on the left and sent a cross into the six-yard box, hitting Kamada’s heel before finding the net.
So, was there any intent behind his goal this time?
“My first goal against the Netherlands was quite lucky,” Kamada confessed with a smirk.
“I really wanted to score again. This time, I scored a proper goal, which is good for me.”
Looking ahead, the Samurai Blue will aim to capitalize on a Swedish team still reeling from a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands.