Graham Potter leads Sweden to 5-1 win over Tunisia at World Cup

Graham Potter led Sweden to a 5-1 win over Tunisia in their World Cup opener on Sunday night. The result extended a run that began when Potter took over a side that had failed to win a game in World Cup qualifying.

Sweden had lost twice to Switzerland and Kosovo and drawn twice with Slovenia before Jon Dahl Tomasson was dismissed. Potter was appointed and steered the team through the Nations League to a play-off spot. They beat Ukraine and then Poland, the latter on an 89th-minute goal by Viktor Gyökeres, to reach the finals.

Potter called the Poland victory his best night in football. After the Tunisia match he said it had been a solid team performance that let Alex Isak and Gyökeres show their quality.

The game was played in heavy, humid conditions in the Sierra Madre. Tunisia had already changed coaches several times during the cycle. Sabri Lamouchi took charge after the Africa Cup of Nations and made 11 changes to the squad that had qualified, with five of those players starting.

Abdelmouhib Chamakh, the Club Africain goalkeeper, was at fault for Sweden’s first two goals. Viktor Lindelöf’s ball over the top left him uncertain after six minutes; Gyökeres pounced and the rebound fell to Yasin Ayari, who scored. Ayari, born in Stockholm to a Tunisian father, had turned down an earlier approach from Tunisia.

Gyökeres set up the second goal with a pass from the centre circle that reached Isak. The Liverpool forward’s low shot slipped through Chamakh’s arms. Lamouchi said individual mistakes had left his team unable to recover.

Tunisia pulled one back before half-time when Omar Rekik headed in Hannibal Mejbri’s cross. Early in the second half they threatened a comeback, but the game turned again when Ellyes Skhiri lost the ball to Isak near his own penalty area. Gyökeres finished the chance, Mattias Svanberg added a fourth after replacing a teammate, and Ayari scored his second in stoppage time.

Sweden’s goals came from Tunisian errors. Potter’s side now prepare for their next group match with renewed confidence after a campaign that looked unlikely six months ago.