June 14, 2026; Arlington, Texas, U.S.; Japan’s Koki Ogawa celebrates after Daichi Kamada scores their second objective. Obligatory Credit score: Jerome Miron-Imagn Pictures Daichi Kamada’s deflected objective in the 88th minute was the second tying tally of the second half for Japan, who scraped out a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in the World Cup opener for each groups Sunday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.
Off a nook kick delivered from Junya Ito, Koki Ogawa elevated in the center of the field, heading a ball which ricocheted off Kamada’s head previous Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to stage the match between the highest two ranked groups in Group F.
The Netherlands, No. 8 in the FIFA/Coca Cola world rankings, had gained 4 straight World Cup openers. Japan, ranked 18th, had gained their final two World Cup openers.
The equalizer got here after a scoreless first half was adopted by three targets in a 13-minute span in the second half.
Captain Virgil van Dijk gave the Netherlands a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute when his header discovered the again of the online with a ricochet off the proper submit. It was van Dijk’s thirteenth worldwide objective, however his first on the World Cup.
That lead lasted simply six minutes, although, as Japan discovered the equalizer in the 57th minute on Keito Nakamura’s right-footed blast from simply exterior the 18-yard field that caught Verbruggen off guard and nestled into the lower-left nook of the online for his eleventh objective for Japan.
The Netherlands restored their lead seven minutes after that, nevertheless, when Crycensio Summerville, who was assessed a yellow card three minutes prior, acquired a cross from Ryan Gravenberch — who assisted on each Dutch targets — and launched a shot off the left submit and in from the sting of the field.
It appeared the tying objective wasn’t coming for Japan after a number of shut calls got here up empty. Most notably, Takefusa Kubo got here inches away from leveling the match with a shot from distance which sailed simply over the online in the 67th minute.
Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki made 5 saves in his World Cup debut. Verbruggen made one save for the Netherlands after he was questionable main as much as the match as a consequence of a hip damage sustained in a warm-up pleasant.
The Netherlands have been probably the most harmful aspect in the primary half, holding 69% of the possession, a 5-3 benefit in pictures and all three pictures on objective.
Donyell Malen supplied all three of the first-half pictures on track, almost scoring in the third minute, the thirty fourth minute and the third minute of stoppage time however denied by Suzuki saves.
–Area Stage Media
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