Weekend at the World Cup: Netherlands have been warned about Yasin Ayari
Yasin Ayari of Sweden scores his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Sweden and Tunisia. Pic: David Ramos/Getty Images
Sweden eased to a 5-1 win over Tunisia on matchday one as Graham Potter’s side clicked into gear for their World Cup opener. The meeting with the African nation was hardly the most testing, though they made light work of the Eagles of Carthage regardless.
And while Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres were both on the scoresheet, it was the performance of Yasin Ayari that attracted the most fanfare. The 22-year-old featured frequently for Brighton last season, making 20 league starts. However, it was the showing against Tunisia that announced Ayari to the world stage. Netherlands - you’ve been warned.
: Elye Wahi played 56 minutes of Ivory Coast’s tournament-opening win over 1-0 Ecuador, hitting the woodwork prior to the withdrawal. This comes despite Wahi’s arrest at the end of May. The Nice striker has been linked to an active investigation over an alleged spot-fixing incident during a 0-0 draw with Metz in Ligue 1 last month.
Wahi still made the trip stateside despite his arrest and the Elephants are again able to call upon the 23-year-old against Germany this weekend. Canada had initially denied the player a visa for the Group E clash that’ll take place in Toronto. However, the federation has since confirmed that the young forward will be able to make the trip north.
Germany eased to a 7-1 win over Curacao on matchday one, while South American side Ecuador fell to a late 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast. Ecuador, who boasted the best defensive record in CONMEBOL qualifying, will have hoped to claim a result against the Elephants to set them up nicely for the second set of fixtures.
And now, their meeting with Curacao is a must-min match up. Ecuador were hardly the most prolific team in qualification as they scored just 14 goals. Their Group E clash with Dick Advocaat’s side is now a potential banana skin. Expect them to remain defensively sound. It’s the profligacy that could prove a concern.
Tunisia made something on an elbow-jerk decision to sack Sabri Lamouchi following their 5-1 matchday one loss to Sweden. In his place comes Frenchman and African football stalwart Herve Renard. The 57-year-old has previously managed Zambia, Angola, Ivory Coast and Morocco. And according to long-term assistant Patrice Beaumelle, all Renard needs to do is “stop the bleeding”.
“He has nothing to lose, even though it's a risky move to come in at the start of a tournament like this. If he manages to turn things around, all credit will go to him,” Beaumelle said. Tunisia have conceded 11 goals in their last three games. So, the first port of call? “Firstly, he'll want to stop the bleeding,” Beaumelle continued. That’ll prove easier said than done against this efficient Japan outfit.
Lamine Yamal’s return to fitness is a huge boost for Spain for more reasons than the obvious. The Barcelona star is undoubtedly La Roja’s best player. Crucially, though, is that Yamal’s availability from the outset means Luis de la Fuente can jettison Ferran Torres out of the starting XI.
Torres hardly endured the worst domestic campaign. Indeed, he struck 16 times as the Blaugrana pipped Real Madrid to La Liga. Yet he struggled from the right in the 0-0 draw with Cape Verde. The 26-year-old mustered four shots, but failed to beat Vozinha. The worst was a close-range effort that cannoned off the crossbar. Torres lasted 81 minutes in Monday’s stalemate. He should register fewer this weekend.
Rudi Garcia spoke before Belgium’s eventual 1-1 draw with Egypt on Monday that Romelu Lukaku may not be fit enough to start. And that proved the case as the Napoli man was named on the bench in Seattle.
Nevertheless, Garcia turned to Lukaku for the final 25 minutes as Belgium’s all-time top scorer replaced the ineffective Charles De Ketelaere. Seconds after his introduction and Belgium were level. Lukaku may not have scored the equaliser but he provided a much-needed presence in the penalty area to force the own goal. Garcia now needs Lukaku to be fit enough to feature from the outset against Iran.
Vozinha caused quite the stir as Cape Verde secured a memorable result against pre-World Cup favourites Spain on Monday. The 40-year-old became the oldest player to compete in a nation’s first World Cup match.
And he did so in style, making seven saves and three high ball claims in their Group H 0-0 draw. Vozinha’s performance was headline grabbing news. So much so, that the goalkeeper’s social presence has skyrocketed. In the 24 hours after the match, Vozinha gained in excess of five million Instagram followers. At the time of writing, that stands at 13.6 million. It’s quite the shot to prominence.
When Egypt took to the Seattle Stadium field against Belgium, Mohamed Salah started in the number 10 role in Hossam Hassan’s favoured 4-2-3-1 setup with Omar Marmoush leading the charge. It was a position that Salah thrived in.
Salah provided the assist for Emam Ashour’s first-half thunderbolt to leave Thibaut Courtois clutching at thin air. That assist came from one of three chances the 34-year-old created in the 1-1 draw with Belgium. No player made more. And with everything to play for in Group G, Salah’s free role could prove decisive as Egypt chase first World Cup win at New Zealand’s expense.
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