Ao Tanaka completed the full 90 minutes as Japan recorded an emphatic 4-0 victory over Tunisia in their second group match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Leeds United midfielder delivered an accomplished all-action display in front of 51,243 supporters at Estadio Monterrey, helping his side take a significant step towards the knockout stages.

Daichi Kamada opened the scoring before Ayase Ueda struck twice, with Junya Ito also on target as Japan secured their first win of the tournament.

Born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, the 27-year-old was influential throughout the contest, combining defensive discipline with his trademark energy in midfield.

Tanaka registered 85 touches and completed 72 passes at an impressive 96 per cent accuracy, ensuring Japan controlled possession for long periods.

The midfielder also contributed four tackles, three recoveries and won five duels, while carrying the ball 35 times for a total distance of 264.6 metres.

He also tested the Tunisia defence with a shot of his own during another assured performance on the world stage.

Japan now move onto four points after drawing with the Netherlands in their opening group fixture and are well placed to progress to the last 32.

While Hajime Moriyasu's side are likely to advance as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams if required, they will be targeting automatic qualification when they face Sweden in their final group match on Friday.