Soccer-Sweden coach Potter hails attacking chemistry after 5-1 win over Tunisia


Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Sweden v Tunisia - Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico - June 14, 2026 Sweden coach Graham Potter applauds fans after the match REUTERS/Henry Romero

MONTERREY, Mexico ⁠June 14 - Sweden coach Graham Potter praised the chemistry between ⁠forwards Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres after they tore Tunisia's ‌defence to shreds in a 5-1 victory in their World Cup opener on Sunday.

Yasin Ayari started and finished the scoring, and substitute Mattias Svanberg also found the net, but ​it was Isak and Gyokeres who posed ⁠the main threat to Tunisia ⁠throughout the match.

Both players scored a goal and created a host of ⁠other ‌chances as the Swedes cruised to the Group F win.

"Individually, of course, they are top players but I think together ⁠they can be a real threat," Potter told a ​press conference. "I think ‌they’ll get better and better the more they play; they ⁠complement each other ​very well.

"I’m really pleased with the players," he added. "We know the quality of the individuals in the front positions but they needed a team to ⁠function.

"We weren’t perfect; we knew we wouldn’t ​be. But at the start of the game I thought we had good control."

Sunday's match was the first time Sweden and Tunisia have met in ⁠the World Cup.

Tunisia had not conceded a single goal in qualifying but Sunday marked the second straight game they had conceded five after losing 5-0 to Belgium in a warm-up match ahead of the ​tournament.

Sweden lead the group with three points after ⁠the Netherlands and Japan tied 2-2 earlier in the day. Sweden's next ​game is against the Netherlands on June ‌20 in Houston.

"We know we’ll meet a ​top team next and we have to be ready for that," said Potter.

(Reporting by Laura Gottesdiener; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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