Japan Rallies for a Draw Against Netherlands in World Cup Match

ARLINGTON, Texas — Daichi Kamata and his Japanese squad nearly faced defeat in their first World Cup match, which was a surprising twist given their opponent’s reputation.

His equalizing goal is one that may stick in the minds of fans back home, particularly if Japan advances to the knockout stages again.

In a thrilling moment during the 88th minute, Kamata connected with a header off a corner kick taken by Koki Ogawa, igniting a wave of excitement among Samurai Blue fans as Japan pulled off a 2-2 draw against the top-ranked Netherlands on Sunday.

The draw extended the Netherlands’ unbeaten streak in group play to 17 matches, but many fans in their bright orange jerseys were left reeling by Kamata’s late goal, which brings their World Cup group record to 21 wins, 2 losses, and 11 draws.

Hajime Moriyasu, Japan’s head coach, commented through an interpreter, saying, “The players showed great tenacity, yet they remained patient and composed, finding and capitalizing on their opportunities.” His team made it to the Round of 16 for the fourth time during Qatar in 2022.

In an action-packed start to the second half, Virgil van Dijk and Chrisencio Somerville found the net for the Netherlands, with Keito Nakamura scoring in between, resulting in a quick three-goal flurry.

AT&T Stadium, an impressive venue with a retractable roof, offered a break from the mugginess of Texas and boasted a massive video screen that often captured the attention of the crowd.

Somerville put the eighth-ranked Netherlands ahead in the 64th minute. But as Japan scrambled for answers, Kamata expertly timed the corner delivered by Ogawa. The ball took a slight dive, catching Dutch goalkeeper Bad Verbruggen off guard, who, despite diving, couldn’t prevent it from going in.

The scoring kicked off in the 50th minute when Van Dijk headed the ball into the net from the far right post, marking his 13th international goal.

Just seven minutes later, Japan, ranked 18th, responded with a well-placed pass from Takefusa Kubo, leading to Nakamura’s shot that zoomed past Verbruggen from the left side.

Then, another seven minutes later, Somerville struck again, firing a left-footed shot past Zion Suzuki into the far left corner after receiving a pass from Ryan Gravenbirch.

“It’s frustrating to concede a lead like that, especially late in the game from a set piece,” Van Dijk remarked, noting that he became the Netherlands’ second-highest World Cup scorer at the age of 34.

The Netherlands had not lost prior to the qualifying rounds since 1994, the last time the World Cup was hosted in the U.S. They had previously been eliminated in group play and lost in the quarterfinals to Brazil.

The pressure for the Netherlands to succeed is always palpable, as they’ve reached three World Cup finals without clinching a title.

A draw in their opener of Group F, which includes Sweden and Tunisia, doesn’t relieve the mounting pressure on manager Ronald Koeman. He faced pointed inquiries regarding his tactics and responded with somewhat cryptic remarks.

Historically, the Netherlands defeated Japan in their only previous encounter back in the 2010 World Cup.

Reflecting on the game, Koeman said through an interpreter, “It’s disappointing not to win, especially after leading twice. Many have underestimated Japan, but if you keep doing that, well, that’s your issue. Time will tell who was right.”

Looking ahead, the Netherlands will face Sweden in Houston on Saturday, while Japan will go up against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico, also on Saturday.