THE big question for Sweden heading into this World Cup was whether their two star strikers could play as a duo.
Manager Graham Potter got his answer with a 5-1 win over Tunisia in which Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres both got on the scoresheet.
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Alexander Isak (right) and Viktor Gyokeres (left) both netted in Sweden’s win over Tunisia Credit: AP
Yasin Ayari allowed himself to celebrate his second goal Credit: Getty
Liverpool star Isak and Arsenal ace Gyokeres are more accustomed to playing as lone frontmen in the Premier League.
But they were deployed as a partnership in Monterrey – and an effective one at that – as Tunisia were outclassed despite giving Sweden a scare by halving their two-goal advantage before the break.
Despite all the firepower on show, midfielder Yasin Ayari was the most impressive in front of goal as he lashed in two stunners against the country of his father’s birth.
There were muted celebrations after the first – a beauty from 20 yards after a botched Tunisia clearance.
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But the Brighton star allowed himself to let loose after smashing home in the final minute of added time.
The victory leaves Sweden top of a tricky Group F which also includes the Netherlands and Japan.
With those two teams up next, Tunisia now have a mountain to climb.
Ayari’s first goal got the ball rolling in Mexico.
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Omar Rekik’s header offered Tunisia false hope Credit: AP
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Sweden were seeing plenty of the ball and when Tunisia did venture forward, they looked vulnerable.
Isak struck on the half-hour mark with a superb solo goal on the counter-attack.
His first World Cup strike nestled in the bottom corner but inexperienced goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh may feel he should have done better if he can bring himself to watch the replays.
Hope returned to the Tunisian ranks when Omar Rekik – once on the books at Arsenal – headed in Hannibal Mejbri‘s cross just before half-time.
Gyokeres and Isak showed they still have work to do as a partnership when the former took too long to feed the latter during a promising Sweden attack which broke down when Isak was flagged offside.
But they made amends in the 60th minute when Isak stole possession from Ellyes Skhiri high up the pitch and fed Gyokeres, who finished confidently.
The floodgates opened as full-time crept closer, with Mattias Svanberg dispatching a low finish just 16 SECONDS after coming on as a sub.
Then came the cherry on top from Ayari to seal a dream start for Potter and his Swedish stars.
