Alexander Isak marked his first World Cup appearance with a trademark finish as Sweden produced a dominant display to defeat Tunisia in their opening Group E fixture in Monterrey.
The Liverpool forward, who has battled injury setbacks since his £125 million move to Anfield in September, opened his tournament account with a powerful strike into the bottom corner after a driving run from the left midway through the first half.
The goal was the product of a sharp attacking combination with Viktor Gyökeres, who held off his marker near the halfway line before releasing Isak into space to finish clinically.
Sweden had already taken control of the match early on through Yasin Ayari, who fired a stunning effort into the top corner after just seven minutes, capitalising on a defensive lapse from Tunisia.
Elsewhere, Manchester United winger Amad Diallo delivered a dramatic late winner for Ivory Coast as they edged Ecuador 1-0 in Philadelphia.
Diallo, introduced from the bench, produced a composed 90th-minute finish after a surging run from Wilfried Singo, steering the ball into the corner to end Ecuador’s 19-game unbeaten run stretching nearly two years.
The winger’s decisive contribution came after being left out of the starting XI in Ivory Coast’s return to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years. The result strengthens their chances of progressing from Group E, which also features Germany and Curaçao.
Ecuador, despite dominating large spells and hitting the woodwork three times through John Yeboah and Alan Minda, were left frustrated by their inability to convert chances.
In another Group E encounter, Japan and the Netherlands shared a pulsating 2-2 draw in Dallas after a second-half turnaround.
The Dutch, powered by their Premier League contingent, appeared on course for victory after Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville put them ahead. However, Japan fought back through Keito Nakamura before Daichi Kamada’s late header rescued a point in the closing minutes.
Ronald Koeman’s side had controlled much of the first half, with Donyell Malen repeatedly threatening, while goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was kept busy with a series of important saves.
The match came alive after the interval, with both teams trading blows in a frantic second half that ultimately ended in a share of the spoils.
