Japan Fighters Netherland’s Lead at 22-2 Draw in Landmark World Cup Opener

The Samurai Blue rallied twice to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their World Cup debut Sunday, with Daichi Kamada scoring the equalizer from a 90th-minute corner kick after Keito Nakamura trimmed the deficit earlier.

Though the Dutch, who maintained a 16-game unbeaten streak in group play, extended their lead to 21-2-11 in tournament history, the scoreless tie marked their first defeat since the 1994 World Cup shootout loss to Brazil in Dallas. Japan’s 18th-ranked squad had been teetering on elimination before the late drama.

Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville struck early in the second half to put the eighth-ranked Oranje ahead, but Japan immediately responded through Nakamura—tying the score within minutes of the Dutch captain’s 13th international goal. The teams traded goals in a 14-minute span between the 50th and 64th minutes.

Summerville’s strike in the 64th minute came via a left-footed shot deflected into the goal from Ryan Gravenberch’s assist, leaving Japan quietly despairing before the historic comeback. The match unfolded under a retractable roof at AT&T Stadium, providing respite from Texas heat as a mixed crowd of 65,000 split evenly between blue-and-white and orange-clad fans.

Kamada’s game-winner arrived following a rushed clearance by Netherland’s substitutes. His header from Koki Ogawa’s corner ricocheted off Bart Verbruggen’s fingertips before sliding into the net, sparking scenes of celebration among Samurai Blue supporters. The Dutch had previously fallen to Japan in their most recent bilateral meeting, a 4-1 group stage clash in 2023.

Group F will decide both teams’ tournament fate. The Netherlands face Sweden in Houston Saturday, while Japan travels to Monterrey, Mexico’s Estadio Benito comparer to face Tunisia in a must-win finale.

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