Texas, USA – Japan snatched a valuable and exciting 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening match of Group F at the 2026 World Cup, played at Dallas Stadium.
The match was very exciting, after the Japanese team managed to come back twice against the “Oranje” to snatch a valuable point in the final minutes of the match.
The first half ended in a goalless draw, before Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk opened the scoring in the 51st minute, taking advantage of a perfect cross from Ryan Gravenberch which he headed into the net.
The Japanese team did not wait long to respond, as Keito Nakamura equalized in the 57th minute with a low shot that changed direction after hitting a Dutch defender, deceiving the goalkeeper and finding the back of the net.
The Netherlands regained the lead in the 64th minute, after Crescencio Summerville displayed outstanding individual skills inside the penalty area, before unleashing a perfect shot that found the back of the net.
As the match seemed headed towards a Dutch victory, the Japanese team refused to give up, managing to score the decisive equalizer in the 89th minute, after substitute Koki Ogawa headed a ball that hit his teammate Daichi Kamada before deceiving goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and settling inside the goal.
⏯️ ملخص مباراة هولندا واليابان | دور المجموعات – كأس العالم FIFA 2026™#كأس_العالم2026 | #مونديال2026 | #كأس_العالم#FIFAWorldCup2026 | #FIFAWorldCup | #beINWC26 pic.twitter.com/VXoBaKPkOd
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 14, 2026With this draw, both Japan and the Netherlands earned their first point in Group F, pending the other match in the group between Tunisia and Sweden.
