Tunisia enters this matchup seeking redemption after suffering three straight losses, managing only a single victory in their last eight outings. Their recent struggles have seen them score just two goals in the past five matches.
This insightful column by Emma Hayes offers a coach’s perspective on the World Cup, starting with hydration breaks but delving into much more.
“I agree with Arsène Wenger; I want the ball in play more. I want goal-kicks taken quicker, I want throw-ins taken quicker. I want the ball in play for at least 60 minutes a game, so I like some of the new rule changes that have been introduced. The average ball-in-play time has been about 40 seconds down compared with 2022 at 57 minutes and 22 seconds, but when you factor in the hydration breaks and remove the time it takes for those breaks from the total match-time, the ball-in-play percentage has risen slightly.
There are already enough stoppages in games, so the last thing we want is more. But, for now, it’s there. On ITV, we used it by broadcasting tactical analysis, which was an idea of one of the producers and I felt I was doing what I do every day as coach; trying to simplify complex ideas in a concise way.”
In terms of officiating, tonight’s match will be overseen by a team from Romania, featuring 2025 Champions League final referee István Kovács. Notably, all the referees appear quite fit in their sharp Adidas uniforms.
According to Dr. Jithin Yesudas Varghese, this match marks the 1,000th in World Cup history, a significant milestone.
With the format continually expanding, the tournament is likely to see its 2,000th match in the near future.
Weather conditions tonight are expected to be favorable, with no wind or rain and temperatures hovering in the mid-20s. There had been concerns about potential thunderstorms affecting the match, but those fears seem to have subsided.
It’s great to hear from Joe Pearson.
“Fear not the time zones. World Cup die hards will always be there for you. Living in the Eastern Time Zone, I seem to recall getting up at four or so in the morning to watch matches from the South Korea edition. Admittedly much younger then, but I’ll be with you tonight as long as I can make it (Narrator: It won’t be long).”
You’re a trooper, Joe. Your commitment is truly valued.
Stephen Hogg shared his thoughts via email.
“This match is mostly interesting from a coaching point of view for mine,”
Renard, who was initially unlucky not to be at this World Cup after leading Saudi Arabia to qualification, took over from Roberto Mancini during the group phase and guided them through the continental playoffs.
Japan approaches this match as the clear favorite, eager to shed their reputation as perennial nearly-men.
“We have a really nice experiment to see what the value is of having a long-standing coach (Moriyasu), given that Hervé Renard has had about 30 seconds to do anything with his squad. Renard is Renard though, so he likely hasn’t been sitting still. Preparations on both sides for this one would be a bit unusual as a result.”
Changes for Japan include Tomiyasu and Itakura reinforcing the back three, while Ito and Tanaka are set to join the front three. The absence of Kubo due to injury is a significant setback for a team already missing Minamino and Mitoma.
The team is expected to maintain the 3-4-3 formation that has worked well for Moriyasu recently, as he has evolved Japan from a dominant Asian team into one capable of competing on the world stage.
Japan’s lineup (3-4-3): 1 Suzuki; 22 Tomiyasu, 4 Itakura, 21 Ito; 10 Doan, 24 Sano, 15 Kamada, 13 Nakamura; 14 Ito, 7 Tanaka, 18 Ueda.
Renard has swiftly established his influence on the Tunisian side, making significant changes including replacing goalkeeper Chamakh, who received a low rating in their opening match. He has also introduced Dylan Bronn into the back three and given Sebastien Tounekti a start in the forward line. It appears that Mejbri, who was a key player against Sweden, will now play in a midfield duo instead of as a floating No. 10.
Tunisia’s formation (5-3-2): 16 Dahmen, 20 Valery, 2 Abdi, 3 Talbi, 4 Rekik, 6 Bronn; 17 Skhiri, 10 Mejbri; 26 Tounekti, 25 Ben Slimane, 8 Saad.
Preparations for this tournament, particularly for this match, have not been smooth for Tunisia, but having Hervé Renard on the sidelines brings a touch of class.
“termination of its contractual relationship”
On a lighter note, if I were in Dublin this September, I would definitely visit an exhibition at Hen’s Teeth showcasing original artworks of all of Roy Keane’s career red cards. One of the promotional images features a painting of Keane stepping on Gareth Southgate during an FA Cup semi-final.
While I have no ties to the artist or the venue, I thought the concept looked fantastic.
Ed Aarons reported from Kansas City, where the smallest nation in World Cup history secured their first point at the finals.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the live coverage of Tunisia versus Japan at Estadio Monterrey. Kick-off for this Group F encounter is set for 9pm local time (12am EDT/5am BST/2pm AEST).
Wherever you are in the world, thank you for joining me during what might be the quietest shift of the tournament. The first round of group matches had its excitement, and the third round brings its own drama, while today has already featured three thrilling matches.
Furthermore, Tunisia’s abysmal performance against Sweden led to the immediate dismissal of their manager, while Japan displayed solid form against the Netherlands, hinting that a clear outcome may not require any psychic insight.
Nonetheless, there is still pressure; Tunisia needs a positive result to keep their hopes alive in the competition, while Japan seeks to secure their advancement to the knockout stage before facing a formidable Sweden squad.
Perhaps despite my initial skepticism, we might be in for an exciting match.
I’ll return shortly with team news and a recap of all the action from today. Meanwhile, feel free to share your thoughts on the World Cup by emailing jonathan.howcroft.freelance@.
The first result to note from today was the Netherlands making a strong statement as serious contenders with a commanding 5-1 victory over Sweden. Now, Japan must maintain pace in Group F.
“When given oxygen the Netherlands were simply too good, scoring straight after the restart when Summerville twisted Sweden inside out and allowed Dumfries to cross again. Gakpo could not miss from a couple of yards and, enjoying a wildly productive afternoon of his own, proceeded to score another. This time he took a pass from Summerville, who had not been deemed fit to start, and cracked low to Kristoffer Nordfeldt’s right from 20 yards.”
Germany boasts a highly talented squad and an innovative young coach, yet their World Cup aspirations hinge on the ability of the unheralded Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav to convert opportunities. Thus far, so good.
“Some footballing stereotypes just will not fade away. Germany may no longer be the mirthless, methodical winning machine who would slowly maul their opponents until they inevitably engineered victory, but, evidently, they still know how to fashion match-winners from final moments. Consequently, the Germans will play in the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in 12 years after another victory at the death. Côte d’Ivoire had gone ahead in a lively encounter on Saturday through Franck Kessié’s 30th-minute goal for Les Éléphants. But it was cancelled out by Deniz Undav’s 68th-minute equaliser and 94th-minute winner for Die Mannschaft.”
