Sweden kickstarted their World Cup campaign in breathtaking fashion on Monday, dismantling Tunisia 5-1 in a Group F opener At the absolute heart of the demolition was Liverpool forward Alexander Isak.
The Liverpool striker delivered a masterclass in elite forward play, claiming a goal, two assists, and a fully deserved Man of the Match award. For a player who endured a nightmare, injury-ravaged debut season at Anfield this was a game which sent a timely reminder of what a full fit Isak is capable of producing.
Ayari Ignites the rout
Sweden took control almost immediately, courtesy of Brighton’s Yasin Ayari. In the sixth minute, the midfielder unleashed a stunning, long-range strike to open the scoring.
Out of respect for his father’s birthplace, Ayari muted his celebrations against a nation he could have chosen to represent, but his technical brilliance set the tone for a dominant afternoon.
Isak then took centre stage to double the lead in the 40th minute. Driving directly at a terrified Tunisian defense, the 26-year-old cut sharply onto his right foot before firing a clinical finish into the net from the edge of the box.
Tunisia briefly threatened to spoil the party when Omar Rekik reduced the deficit just before the half-time whistle, punishing a rare moment of Swedish complacency.
A strike partnership forged in gold
Potter’s men remained calm after the interval, and the second half belonged to the devastating tandem of Isak and Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres. Managing two world-class central strikers is a headache that has plagued many international managers over the decades, but Potter has found the perfect chemistry.
On the hour mark, Isak hunted down the ball high up the pitch, winning possession before showing superb vision to pick out Gyokeres, who restored Sweden’s two-goal cushion.
In doing so, they became just the second strike partnership in Swedish history to assist one another at a World Cup.
Isak wasn’t finished. Moments after Mattias Svanberg entered the pitch, the Liverpool frontman flicked a bouncing free-kick delivery perfectly into his teammate’s path for Sweden’s fourth. Ayari then capped off a glittering individual display in the 96th minute, smashing home his second long-range rocket of the contest to seal the 5-1 scoreline.
Potter demands more despite five-goal feast
The resounding victory leaves Sweden well-placed to progress, a vital cushion given the monumental tests against the Netherlands and Japan still to come in Group F.
“Fantastic,” Sweden boss Graham Potter told ITV Sport at the final whistle. “Great goals, five goals, solid and we could have scored more. It was brilliant, full credit to the players. They were fantastic.”
Reflecting on the minor blemish of Tunisia’s first-half goal, Potter added: “It came from not that much really. It can happen in football. The boys remained calm and maintained a goal threat which was important for us. There is room to improve. We will enjoy tonight, recover and get ready again.”
ReadLiverpoolFC Verdict
This performance is exactly why Liverpool shattered the British transfer record to bring Isak to Anfield for £125 million.
A broken leg sustained while scoring against Tottenham in December completely ruined his 2025/26 campaign, restricting him to a mere handful of appearances. He lacked match sharpness and never got the chance to leave his mark under the previous regime.
But this performance proved that a fully fit Alexander Isak is an absolute cheat code. He looks sharper, stronger, and infinitely more confident than the player we saw tracking back in the winter. Upcoming manager Andoni Iraola must be licking his chops watching this from afar.
If Isak can navigate the rest of this World Cup unscathed and enjoy a full pre-season, he will genuinely feel like a brand-new, world-class signing for Liverpool next term.
On this evidence, he has the elite finishing ability to win matches single-handedly. Saturday’s clash against Anfield teammates Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, and Ryan Gravenberch just became must-watch television.
