If you blinked during the first 45 minutes of this Group F opener in Arlington, Texas, you didn’t miss much — but if you turned away during the second half, you missed an absolute rollercoaster. The Netherlands and Japan played out a wild 2-2 draw, and by the time the dust settled, both sides had been to the mountaintop and back down again.
A Sleepy First Half, Then… Boom
For 45 minutes, this game was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Chances were scarce, both sides looked cagey, and the Dallas-area crowd at AT&T Stadium might have wondered if they were in for a long night. Then the second half started, and somebody flipped a switch.
Just five minutes after the restart, Virgil van Dijk — the Netherlands captain and Liverpool stalwart — rose unmarked to head home a pinpoint cross from his Liverpool teammate Ryan Gravenberch, putting the Dutch 1-0 up in the 50th minute. It looked like the dam had finally broken, and Ronald Koeman’s side appeared ready to take control.
But Japan had zero intention of rolling over. Just seven minutes later, Takefusa Kubo slipped a pass to Keito Nakamura, who drifted to the edge of the box and fired a low shot that deflected off Jan Paul van Hecke and squirmed past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. 1-1, and suddenly this game was a different animal entirely.
Summerville’s Moment of Magic
The Dutch responded in style. In the 64th minute, Crysencio Summerville — making waves after only recently making his international debut — cut inside from the right onto his weaker left foot, ignored the overlapping run of Denzel Dumfries, and curled a gorgeous strike beyond Zion Suzuki and into the far corner. 2-1 Netherlands, and it looked like Summerville might just be the hero of the night.
Japan’s All-In Gamble Pays Off
Here’s where things got really fun. Down 2-1 and staring at a defeat in their World Cup opener, Japan’s manager Hajime Moriyasu threw caution completely out the window — using all five of his substitutions to load up for one final push. And it worked.
In the 89th minute, with the clock ticking down and Dutch fans already celebrating, substitute Junya Ito whipped in a corner. Fellow substitute Koki Ogawa rose above everyone in the box and headed it goalward — only for the ball to cannon off the unsuspecting head of Daichi Kamada and loop over a flailing Verbruggen into the roof of the net. Pure chaos. Pure joy for Japan. 2-2.
The Numbers and What’s Next
The stats backed up just how even this one was: Netherlands edged possession 54% to 37%, and outshot Japan 10 to 9, with 6 shots on target to Japan’s 2. Despite dominating territory, the Dutch simply couldn’t find a way to put this one away. FIFA
Afterward, Van Dijk reflected on his team’s mentality, saying they’d agreed beforehand not to change their approach whether they were ahead, behind, or level — and that there was no panic, even after conceding twice. He also admitted the Dutch need more creativity and ideas in attack going forward. FIFAFIFA
For Japan, this felt like a statement. Coming back twice against a side many tip as potential tournament winners is no small feat, and it sets up a fascinating Group F. The Netherlands face Sweden next, while Japan have a midnight date with Tunisia — and after a night like this, nobody in Group F can afford to relax. NBC Sports
One thing’s for certain: if this is the standard for World Cup openers, buckle up.
Man of the Match:Van Dijk
