Resilience. Teamwork. Clutch performances. These were defining characteristics of Japan’s 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in the teams’ 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.
Trailing 1-0, the Samurai Blue leveled the score on Keito Nakamura‘s 57th-minute goal, a low blast into the left corner of the net, on Sunday, June 14.
Midfielder Keito Nakamura scores the Samurai Blue’s first goal past Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries in the 57th minute. (©Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS)
In Arlington, Texas, the Dutch squad, ranked eighth in the latest world rankings, pulled ahead for the second time on forward Crysencio Summerville’s 64th-minute strike at Dallas Stadium.
Then, in the 89th minute, second-half substitute Koki Ogawa‘s header ricocheted off teammate Daichi Kamada‘s head and flew past Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Vetbruggen and into the net for another match-tying goal.
And the Group F match, which started at 5 AM JST on Monday, provided an eruption of spontaneous excitement for Japan supporters before the work week began.
Koki Ogawa’s header deflects off Daichi Kamada for the match-tying goal in the 89th minute. The Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk (4) stands in front of Ogawa. (©SANKEI)
Maintaining a resilient mindset paid off for Ogawa, Kamada and their teammates.
Defender Yukinari Sugawara summed up Japan’s approach in its World Cup opener.
“Whether we go a goal down, whether we’re in the lead or whether we’ve just pulled level ― we’d already talked beforehand about not changing what we have to do,” Sugawara told reporters. “So I think we were able to stick to that: no panic, no wavering.”
‘We Needed to Get At Least a Point’
For Kamada, being in the right place at the right time enabled him to deliver a successful finish to Ogawa’s scoring attempt. A corner kick preceded Ogawa’s header.
At the same time, the Crystal Palace midfielder ensured that his team achieved one of its goals to kick off its World Cup campaign.
“We were saying before the match that we needed to get at least a point,” Kamada said. “The game turned into a difficult one, but we were able to show what we had prepared, and it was good that we managed to come away with at least a point.
“Against a strong side like the Netherlands, if you go 1-0 down, it can easily become 2-0 or 3-0. The fact we fought back and earned a draw shows the character of this team.”
Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu (©Issei Kato/REUTERS)
Managers’ Comments About the Samurai Blue
After his side squandered two leads against Japan, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman issued a memorable rant about the Samurai Blue.
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t win, but that’s because we were ahead twice,” Koeman said, according to The Associated Press. “Many people underestimated Japan, but for the 100,000th time, if you underestimate them, that’s your problem.
“You think Japan’s strength was overexaggerated before the match? Let’s wait until the end of the tournament to see who’s right.”
Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu expressed mixed emotions after the match.
“I’m disappointed that we failed to win, but even though we fell behind twice, the players never gave up and fought hard together as a team,” Moriyasu commented.
“While earning only a point is a little disappointing, we managed to get a result through our collective effort. We defended patiently and then tried to be more aggressive going forward. The players executed what we had planned and prepared for.”
Samurai Blue midfielder Ritsu Doan in action against the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo in the World Cup match. (©Tim Heitman/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS)
Stepping into the Spotlight
Four years ago, Japan opened its 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar with a 2-1 comeback victory over Germany. Ritsu Doan scored the equalizer in the second half to ignite the comeback, and Takuma Asano notched the winning goal in the 83rd minute.
On Sunday, against the Netherlands, Doan filled in as captain. Ko Itakura, who was named the new captain a few days ago to replace injured Wataru Endo, remained on the bench for the Samurai Blue’s World Cup opener.
Endo, 33, also retired from international duty just days before the tournament.
World No 18 Japan’s starting lineup against the Netherlands featured goalkeeper Zion Suzuki; defenders Hiroki Ito, Shogo Taniguchi and Tsuyoshi Watanabe; Nakamura, Kamada, Kaishu Sano and Doan in the midfield; and forwards Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda and Takefusa Kubo.
After a scoreless first half, Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk, who also stars for Liverpool in the English Premier League, broke the stalemate in the 50th minute. Ryan Gravenberch initiated the scoring chance with a well-placed cross.
On the play leading to the first tying goal, Kubo and Nakamura capitalized on each other’s athleticism and familiarity with the team’s offense.
“I knew Kubo would give me the pass and I already had the image of going for the near post before receiving it. So it was a goal that went as planned,” Nakamura said, according to Kyodo News.
Japan’s Keito Nakamura (left) celebrates his 57th-minute goal with teammate Takefusa Kubo. (©Tim Heitman/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS)
And it was an omen of things to come.
In a strategic move, Moriyasu made a trio of substitutions in the 75th minute (bringing in Sugawara, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ogawa), adding energy and speed to the lineup, which led to the match-tying goal.
Disappointment for the Dutch
Van Dijk rued the outcome of the match.
“I think we defended well,” the Dutch captain told reporters. “We went a bit too deep in the end, but obviously circumstances play a part in that as well. They didn’t create that much, so that’s why it’s extra disappointing that we conceded through a set-piece. But that’s the reality, we take the point, and now we focus on Sweden. We just have to keep going.”
By the Numbers
The Netherlands had six shots on target to Japan’s two, and had a 529-356 advantage in passes.
A Look Ahead
Japan returns to action against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday, June 20 (June 21 at 1 PM JST). The Netherlands will face Sweden in Houston on the same day.
Sweden hammered Group F foe Tunisia 5-1 on June 14. Yasin Ayari scored a brace in the rout.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed’s [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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