STAR SPORTS DESK

Tunisia and Japan will write their names into FIFA World Cup history on Saturday when they meet in Monterrey in the tournament’s 1,000th match, but both sides have far more immediate concerns than the milestone itself.

The Group F encounter comes at a pivotal moment, particularly for Tunisia, whose campaign was thrown into turmoil after a crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opener. The loss cost coach Sabri Lamouchi his job, with Herve Renard rushed in to revive the North Africans’ fading hopes.

Renard faces an immediate test against a Japan side he regards as Asia’s best.

“I know very well the quality of this team,” the Frenchman said. “Japan are the best team in Asia.”

The four-time Asian champions backed up that reputation in their opening match, fighting back twice to earn a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in Dallas. Daichi Kamada’s dramatic 88th-minute equaliser highlighted the resilience of Hajime Moriyasu’s side.

“We were trailing behind a very difficult opponent,” Moriyasu said. “The players were united as one, fought to the end and did not cease to persevere.”

Yet the Japan coach admitted his team wanted more than a point.

“We were aiming to get three points, not one point.”

With Sweden leading Group F on three points and both Japan and the Netherlands on one, bottom-placed Tunisia know defeat could leave their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.