Asia’s most successful team, Japan, are twice behind and drew 2-2 with the Netherlands in their Group F opener.
Posted on June 14, 2026
Japan equalized in the 88th minute when they came back twice to salvage a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in front of 69,285 in Texas to open their World Cup campaigns.
On Sunday, the match erupted in the second half, ending in the first period.
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Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk scored with a superb header, only for Keita Nakamura to equalize quickly and winger Chrysencio Summerville curled a delicious curling strike into the bottom corner just after the hour mark.
It looked like the Dutch would hold on, but Japan equalized with Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada scoring from a rebound.
Sweden face Tunisia in a competitive Group F later on Sunday.
Japan and the Netherlands are in North America without key players due to injury, but on paper it was one of the more attractive matches of the group stage.
Both were touted as dark horses capable of going far in the tournament, with the Dutch finishing as runners-up three times and Japan never progressing beyond the round of 16.
The Netherlands started the game confidently and almost took the lead after three minutes when Daniel Mullen was allowed to turn in the box before forcing Tsion Suzuki into a smart save.
The impressive, air-conditioned arena is usually home to the Dallas Cowboys, and during a hydration break, a giant screen hanging over the field showed the team’s NFL cheerleaders performing one of their acts.
The stoppage looked to have helped Ronald Koeman’s side, and Roma forward Mullen again headed Suzuki’s header from a corner before Kody Gakpo fired wildly over the bar.
The Japanese fans, who almost never stopped singing and outnumbered the Dutch, fell silent for a while.
The first real chance for Hajime Moriasu’s side came minutes before the break when a cross eluded the defending Somerville but Nakamura made a low effort.
The Dutch looked most threatening in the air, so it was no surprise when Liverpool talisman van Dijk rose to head into the bottom corner from club-mate Ryan Gravenberch’s pinpoint cross in the 51st minute.
The lead lasted just six minutes when Nakamura twisted and fired a low shot past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, the ball taking a narrow deflection off Jan Paul van Hecke.
In a frantic period of play, the Dutch took the lead once again in the 64th minute when West Ham’s Summerville beat his man on the right and curled a left-footed effort into Suzuki’s bottom-right corner.
Both teams made changes and had chances to score again before Kamada chaotically leveled from a corner.