Daichi Kamada's late header gives Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in pulsating World Cup opener
Daichi Kamada struck in the 88th minute off a Koki Ogawa corner to earn Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands at AT&T Stadium, a match that brought three second-half goals in 14 minutes and kept both Group F sides level.
The World Cup Group F opener between the Netherlands and Japan delivered a second-half surge that ended with Japan's dramatic late equaliser Sunday in Arlington, Texas, before 69,285 fans.
Van Dijk breaks the deadlock
A scoreless first half ended when Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk rose to guide a Ryan Gravenberch cross into the far corner in the 50th minute, his 13th international goal. The Dutch had threatened earlier through Donyell Malen, whose early header and shot forced saves from Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, but the deadlock held until Van Dijk's precise header.
Nakamura and Summerville trade goals
Japan replied within seven minutes. Keito Nakamura collected a pass from Takefusa Kubo, turned and drilled a low shot past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen that took a slight deflection off Jan Paul van Hecke to make it 1-1. The Netherlands restored their lead on 64 minutes when Crysencio Summerville cut inside from the right and curled a left-footed finish into the bottom corner, again assisted by Gravenberch. Three goals in 14 minutes turned the contest inside out.
Kamada's late intervention
Japan pressed and found space in the closing stages. Koki Ogawa delivered a corner in the 88th minute that Daichi Kamada met with a header; the ball glanced off Kamada and bounced past Verbruggen's dive to level at 2-2. The goal extended the Netherlands' unbeaten group-stage run to 16 matches but prevented a victory that had looked likely a few moments earlier.
- Virgil van Dijk heads in Gravenberch cross (1-0 Netherlands)
- Keito Nakamura levels for Japan from edge of box (1-1)
- Crysencio Summerville restores Dutch lead with curling finish (2-1)
- Daichi Kamada deflects in corner from Koki Ogawa (2-2)
What it means for Group F
Netherlands and Japan each collect one point from the first matchday. The Dutch face Sweden on Saturday in Houston; Japan travel to Monterrey, Mexico, to meet Tunisia the same day. Sweden and Tunisia were set to play later Sunday. The Dutch have not lost a group-stage match since the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where a defeat preceded a quarterfinal exit to Brazil. Both sides entered the tournament missing key players but are considered teams capable of advancing deep into the expanded 48-team format. Japan have never gone beyond the round of 16, while the Netherlands have finished runners-up three times.
