Netherlands 2-2 Japan: Daichi Kamada late drama denies Dutch in Dallas thriller
Daichi Kamada’s dramatic 89th-minute equalizer saw Japan twice fight back from behind to rescue a thrilling 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their World Cup Group F opener.
A dramatic 89th-minute equalizer from Daichi Kamada denied the Netherlands an opening-day victory as Japan twice fought back from behind to rescue a thrilling draw in an instant World Cup classic in Dallas.
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In a Group F blockbuster that exploded into life after a cagey first half, Ronald Koeman’s side appeared to have done enough to secure a statement victory, only to be undone by a late, chaotic wave of Japanese pressure. The Dutch had dominated the opening 45 minutes, with Donyell Malen forcing a smart early save from Zion Suzuki, but they had to wait until six minutes after the restart to finally breach the Samurai Blue’s defense. It was a combination made in Merseyside that unlocked the door, as Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch floated an inviting cross into the penalty area for international captain Virgil van Dijk to tower above his marker and power a magnificent header into the bottom corner.
The Oranje’s joy was short-lived, however, as Hajime Moriyasu’s side hit back just six minutes later. A slick attacking move orchestrated by Takefusa Kubo found Keito Nakamura on the edge of the area, and the winger’s low, drilled effort took a wicked deflection off the foot of Jan Paul van Hecke to skip past a helpless Bart Verbruggen.
The tournament heavyweights quickly regained their composure and retook the lead through a moment of individual brilliance from Crysencio Summerville. Making his tournament debut, the winger cut inside from the flank onto his left foot and unleashed a sublime, bending strike that curled exquisitely beyond the desperate dive of Suzuki into the far corner.
With victory in sight, Koeman opted to protect the lead by introducing defender Nathan Ake for Gravenberch, a conservative tactical shift that ultimately invited unrelenting pressure from the Asian heavyweights. As the clock ticked down in front of a raucous 69,285-strong crowd, Japan flooded bodies forward and reaped their reward from a late corner kick. Koki Ogawa rose highest at the near post to flick a header that deflected crucially off the well-placed Kamada, leaving Verbruggen able to only parry the ball into his own net to spark wild celebrations on the Japanese bench and secure a deserved share of the spoils.
