It was a landmark moment as Japan and Tunisia took to the pitch in the 1000th match in FIFA World Cup™ history. The game would prove significant not only for Japan, but for Asian football as a whole. As the Samurai Blue stormed to a , the team and the Asian Football Confederation set a host of new World Cup records. We look at some of the numbers from the big match.
By shutting Tunisia out, Japan recorded their first World Cup clean sheet in 11 matches. Having conceded in each of their previous ten outings, they last kept the opposition at bay in a 0-0 draw against Greece in their second group-stage match at Brazil 2014.
Ayase Ueda became the first Japanese player to score twice in a single World Cup match. Despite 25 goals across their previous seven World Cups, no player had ever netted more than one in the same match.
Daichi Kamada also scored against the Netherlands in the opening game, becoming only the second Japanese player to score in consecutive World Cup matches, following Junichi Inamoto in 2002.
Having beaten Germany (2-1) and Spain (2-1) at Qatar 2022, Hajime Moriyasu recorded his third World Cup victory as Japan coach. He moves ahead of Philippe Troussier, who won two matches in 2002, and Takeshi Okada, who matched him in 2010, to become Japan's most successful World Cup coach.
Kamada recorded Japan’s fastest-ever World Cup goal, finding the net after just four minutes. The previous record had been Shinji Kagawa's penalty in the sixth minute against Colombia in the Samurai Blue’s opening match at Russia 2018.
Scoring four goals in a single World Cup match was a first not only for Japan, but for any AFC nation. The previous record had been set by Korea DPR in their 5-3 defeat to Portugal in the England 1966 quarter-finals and by Japan in their 3-1 win over Denmark at South Africa 2010.
It also marked the first time an Asian team had won a World Cup match by four goals. What makes the feat even more impressive is that no Asian side had previously recorded a three-goal victory. The largest winning margin before Saturday night had been two goals, achieved by Japan against Denmark in 2010 and Tunisia in 2002, Korea Republic against Poland in 2002, Greece in 2010 and Germany in 2018, IR Iran against Wales at Qatar 2022 and Australia against Türkiye at this tournament.
Following matches against Spain (2-1) and Croatia (1-1, 3-1 on penalties) at Qatar 2022, and a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands at this World Cup, Japan are now unbeaten in four consecutive World Cup matches, before penalty shoot outs. This surpasses their previous best run of three matches in the group stage at the 2002 tournament (two wins and one draw).
Following that 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their opening game, Japan have now scored six times at this tournament, setting a new record for goals scored in a group stage after just two matches. That surpasses the five goals they scored at Korea/Japan 2002. They have also equalled their record for goals in a single World Cup, matching the six they scored at Russia 2018.
Japan recorded their eighth World Cup win from 27 matches. They are now level for the most wins by an Asian nation with Korea Republic, who claimed their eighth World Cup victory against Czechia in their opening match at this tournament.
With his goal against Tunisia, 33-year-old Junya Ito became Japan's oldest World Cup goalscorer. He surpassed the record set by Keisuke Honda, who was 32 when he scored against Senegal at Russia 2018.
Sources: FIFA Official
