ARLINGTON, Texas — Japan scored an 89th-minute equalizer, twice fighting back to rescue a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in Texas on Sunday as they opened their World Cup campaigns.
A match in front of 69,285 spectators that had bubbled away in the first period sparked into life in the second half.
Netherlands skipper Virgil van Dijk scored with a fine header, only for Keito Nakamura to quickly level, before winger Crysencio Summerville’s delicious curled finish into the bottom corner just after the hour.
The Dutch side looked like it would hold on, but Japan leveled at the death with Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada credited with the goal after a deflection.
“We are not completely satisfied with the draw,” said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, whose side faces Tunisia on Saturday in a competitive-looking Group F.
“But the Netherlands are a top-class team and we tried to compete at the same level.
“We were tenacious but patient, and kept calm.”
Japan and the Netherlands are missing key players through injury, but on paper this was still one of the more attractive fixtures in the group stage.
Both have been touted as dark horses capable of going far at the tournament — the Dutch have been runners-up three times whereas Japan has never gone beyond the last 16.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman, the former defender charged with finally delivering World Cup glory, was given a grilling by Dutch media afterwards, especially for his substitutions.
“I am disappointed that we did not get the win,” said Koeman, who pointed the finger at his side’s defending.
“But I am not that negative,” he said to one particular line of questioning that he took exception to.
“I saw a team that has made great progress,” he added of his men.
“Of course, we can perform better and we need to grow during the tournament.”
Chaotic leveler
The Netherlands made a confident start and nearly took the lead after three minutes, Donyell Malen swiveling and forcing a smart save from Zion Suzuki.
The impressive air-conditioned arena is usually home to the Dallas Cowboys, and at the hydration break, the NFL team’s cheerleaders were shown on the massive screen hanging over the pitch performing one of their routines.
The stoppage seemed to help the Dutch, and Roma forward Malen again worked Suzuki with a header from a corner.
Japan’s fans, who had hardly stopped singing and outnumbered the Dutch contingent, were briefly silenced.
The first real chance for Moriyasu’s team came a few minutes before the break when a cross evaded the backtracking Summerville, but Nakamura pulled his effort wide.
The Dutch had looked most threatening in the air, so it was no surprise when Liverpool talisman Van Dijk rose to plant a well-placed header into the bottom corner after a pinpoint cross from his Premier League clubmate Ryan Gravenberch on 51 minutes.
The lead lasted just six minutes, as Nakamura wriggled free and fired low past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, the ball taking a small deflection off Jan Paul van Hecke.
In a madcap period of play, the Dutch forged ahead once more on 64 minutes, when West Ham’s Summerville beat his man on the right wing and curled into Suzuki’s bottom-right corner with his left foot.
Both teams rang the changes and had chances to score again, before Kamada’s chaotic 89th-minute leveler from a corner.
A flurry of second-half goals saw Sweden beat a tenacious Tunisia 5-1 in Sunday’s other Group F match.
AFP
