Match report: Netherlands 2-2 Japan

The World Cup continued to produce the unexpected in Arlington. On a throbbingly hot afternoon in the low flat plains outside Dallas the Netherlands and Japan played out an episodically thrilling opening Group F game, Daichi Kamada scoring an 88th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 just as the Dutch looked like taking an early hold on one of the tougher groups.

Sport does like to spring surprises. As the entire bib-clad Japanese bench emptied on to the pitch to celebrate Kamada’s deflected goal from a corner, it was tempting to wonder if perhaps the unthinkable is happening here.

There has been so much talk of tired players, format failure and empty seats (the stadium was full here), talk so feverishly committed you wondered at times if it was necessary to play the games at all. But it does feel as though something else has been taking place in the opening games. Maybe – whisper it – the World Cup is actually good.

The other teams in Group F, Sweden and Tunisia, meet in just under four hours’ time. Then it’s Netherlands v Sweden and Tunisia v Japan on Saturday (or the early hours of Sunday).

It’s been a pretty good start to the World Cup: 31 goals in 10 games, some historic moments and plenty of late drama. Gianni Infantino is a genius, the end.

Join Beau Dure for all the team news ahead of an intriguing game in Philadelphia. Ecuador, whose squad includes Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapie, not to mention that Caicedo fella, finished second in Conmebol qualifying and conceded only five goals in 18 games.

“This is the best match of the World Cup so far,” says Kári Tulinius, flicking an insouciant two fingers in the direction of Simon McMahon and James Humphries. “I’ll admit that I struggled to stay awake during the first half, but the second had me being involuntarily loud and accidentally waking my daughter. Happily she’s back asleep.”

90+5 min “This has indeed been more or less the hoped-for game, it’s perked me right up,” says James Humphries, who was already kite-high at kick off. “I can even recall what day it is tomorrow!”

I bet you can, sunshine.

90+4 min I bet the Dutch commentariat will love the fact Ronald Koeman switched to a back five before conceding a late equaliser.

90+3 min A big deep cross from Dumfries is headed wide by Koopmeiners. Loads of defenders around so it was a very tough chance.

90 min Six minutes of added time. Van de Ven has been booked for something or other.

A corner from the right was met at the near post by the substitute Koki Ogawa. His header hit the head of Daichi Kamada, who knew the square root of bugger all about it, and flew towards goal. Verbruggen dived to his left, got two hands to the ball but could only help it into the net.

Verbruggen might have done better, but Japan will feel they deserve a point after dominating the last quarter. When they try to score goals, they look a very good side.

86 min Nakamura blasts a dangerous cross that just evades Ogawa in front of goal.

Japan have played their best attacking football, by far, when they’ve been behind in the game. Next stop, rocket science.

85 min: Netherlands substitution Brian Brobbery comes on for Cody Gakpo, who rarely lets Netherlands down at major tournaments.

84 min: Japan substitution Kento Shiogai on for Ayase Ueda.

83 min Depay is booked for something or other, let’s not got into semantics here.

82 min We’re not done here, oh no sir. But when we are, this is your next assignment.

81 min: Netherlands substitution Nathan Ake replaces Ryan Gravenberch, who created both goals.

I guess that means a switch to a back five in response to Japan’s tactical tweak.

80 min: Chance for Japan A nice, zig-zag move down the right ends with Junya Ito cutting the ball back sharply towards Sugewara in the area. He slips while lifting a shot that is comfortably saved by Verbruggen.

Actually, the reason Sugewara lost his balance is that Ito’s cutback was slightly behind him.

78 min Some good pressure from Japan, who are now playing with two centre-forwards, it says here.

77 min “I’m sure Mac Millings will be able to come up with a ‘Hydration XI’ by tomorrow,” writes Simon McMahon, “just so Mrs Millings doesn’t think he’s been enjoying himself too much...”

Depends which type of Hydration XI we’re talking about.

75 min: Triple substitution for Japan Takehiro Tomiyasu, Koki Ogawa and Yukinari Sugawara replace Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Ritsu Doan and the injured Takefusa Kubo.

73 min A trademark effort from Gakpo – cutting inside, then reversing a shot towards the near post – is pushed round by Suzuki. Good save.

The resulting corner is headed towards goal by Van Hecke and saved comfortably by Suzuki.

72 min “These are two of the more gifted technical sides at the tournament so it’s been good to see an outbreak of football after the break,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “Enjoying these McDonald’s hydration breaks every 5 minutes - the world is too rush rush. Blow the whistle. Stop. Have a ciggie. Enjoy it.”

Chill, relax.

70 min: Netherlands substitutions Memphis Depay, Teun Koopmeiners and Quinten Timber come on for Donyell Malen, Tijjani Reinders and Crysencio Summerville.

67 min Takefusa Kubo almost equalises for Japan with an imaginative long-range effort. The reason for this unacceptably vague description is that I missed it while looking at reader emails, and there hasn’t been a replay on the TV coverage.

Time for another hydration break.

67 min: Japan substitution Junya Ito comes on for Daezan Maeda.

66 min Hiroki Ito makes an goal-saving block from Gakpo, who was offside anyway so forget it.

Gravenberch, who now has two assists, played a short pass to Summerville on the right edge of the area. He moved infield, onto his left foot, and swept a precise curling shot that bounced past the diving Suzuki and into the far corner.

At first I thought the keeper might have done better. Not a bit of it: replays show that Summerville’s shot could not have been more precise.

A word too for Denzel Dumfries, whose overlapping run gave Summerville the chance to cut inside. “Uses him by not using him” and all that.

63 min A replay shows that Nakamura’s shot brushed the outstretched leg of Van Hecke rathern than Maeda, who was trying to jump out of the way. As the original shot was on target, it’s Nakamura’s goal.

61 min Summerville trips Watanage and is booked.

The goal came out of nothing. Japan worked the ball patiently on the left until the wing-back Nakamura, who had wandered into a central position, turned suddenly and whistled a low shot from the edge of the area with a his right foot. It took a nick off either Maeda or Van Hecke and gave Verbruggen no chance.

There’s a check for offside but Maeda was being played on by the defender on the far side, Van de Ven I think.

56 min The refcam shows that Van Dijk eased Watanabe out of the way to create space for his header. Canny stuff because there was nowhere near enough contact for a foul.

54 min Summerville runs onto a clipped ball over the top, keeps it in at the byline and pushes a low cross towards Malen that is cleared.

Netherlands are well on top in the second half.

A poor free-kick from Reijnders was headed away at the near post. The loose ball was worked out to the right wing, where Gravenberch took a touch and whipped a belting cross towards the far post. Van Dijk found space, as he does so often in these situations, and planted an accomplished header back across Suzuki. It was perfectly placed and swerved just inside the post. Liverpool strike first in Texas.

49 min “Every bit the cagey affair you’d expect from two sides planning a deep run in this marathon of a tournament’ is my wholly unsolicited, soundbite-friendly take on this match,” writes Grant Tennille. “But a goal would be nice.”

48 min Gravenberch gets round the back, on the right, and wallops an inviting cross that flashes past everyone in the six-yard box.

47 min “Currently in Atlanta, ahead of attending tomorrow’s Clash of the Titans between Spain and Cape Verde, and having a ‘hydration break’ in a lovely bar, watching this with my son (who is finally of age), and enjoying your adequate commentary,” chirps Mac Millings. “If Cape Verde can give us anything.l like the brief thrill that Curaçao did today, the 10-hour round trip, 4 expensive tickets, hotel room, and $23 stadium beer will have been well worth it.

“Is what I’ll be telling a sceptical Mrs. Millings.”

46 min No half-time changes on either side.

Half-time reading

45+3 min Another outswinging corner from Reijnders is headed towards goal by Malen and saved comfortably by Suzuki. A decent effort from Malen.

45+2 min “Not entirely sure I’m with you on the quality of the game here Rob,” says Graeme Neill. “I was too young to remember the 1988 side but this Dutch team is a shadow of the 1998 through to 2014 sides (aside from the team that didn’t qualify for Japan/South Korea). So ponderous and turgid.

“However, decades of disappointment and underachieving aside, the Dutch did inspire David Winner’s Brilliant Orange, one of the finest books about football.”

I should stress that my view on the quality of the game is a work in progress. I do think it’s been pretty good though – lots of neat passing and manipulation of space, just not the dazzling quality to which you referred.

45+1 min Three minutes of added time.

45 min: Another chance for Japan Ueda pulls between Van Dijk and Van de Ven to receive angled pass into the area. He allows the ball to bounce past his body, onto the right foot, but then lashes a shot into the side netting. A decent chance, even if the angle was tight.

43 min: Chance for Japan! Doan’s cross from the right is misjudged by the leaping Summerville and reaches Nakamura beyond the far post. He controls the ball deftly and drags a right-foot shot just wide; Verbruggen had it covered.

42 min Maeda, who looks full of the joys every time he gets the ball, accelerates a Japan break with a nice spin and pass out to Nakamura. Alas, Nakamura’s cross goes out of play.

40 min Japan started confidently in possession, but the Netherlands have dominated since Strathmore O’Clock. There’s still a pronounced slow-slow-getitinthefakkinmixer-quick rhythm to the game.

38 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I’m really hoping this might be the World Cup tournament where a team like the Netherlands, or Portugal, or Japan, or Morocco, or Norway, or Ecuador, or USA, or Scotland, makes a breakthrough and maybe even wins the trophy. It’d make a nice change from the usual suspects if nothing else. Though I suspect any of the aforementioned teams will likely end up being the Hearts to Spain or France’s Celtic.”

It does tend to happen once a generation, or rather it has since the inevitable early rush of first-time winners: 1930, 1934, 1954, 1958, 1966, 1978, 1998, 2010, 2026 YA DANCER.

36 min A booming free-kick from Reijnders is knocked back across goal, possibly by a Japan defender, and drilled over on the stretch by Gakpo. Tough chance.

34 min Reijnders cracks an outswinging corner from the right that is met by Malen on the six-yard line. His powerful downward header is spooned away by Suzuki, who is relieved to see a defender – rather than a Netherlands forward – get to the loose ball first.

That was a good effort from Malen, who had to scrap with two defenders just to get to the ball.

32 min Netherlands are having a good spell, perhaps their best of the game so far. It’s a match of few chances but the quality has been high.

31 min “Being in Dallas, it is appropriate that the referee is continuing with the big shoulder pads fashion of WC26,” says Andy Gordon. “Any idea what they are packing in there?”

Is it Oliver Stone’s 400-page treatise on who really shot JR?

30 min Gakpo cuts inside and angles a cross towards Dumfries at the far post. It’s slightly overhit, which means Dumfries can do nothing except head the ball over the bar from an impossible angle.

29 min Van de Ven turns on the afterburners, charging into the area on the left and delivering a low cross that is well cleared.

28 min Doan’s fast low cross from the right is laid off crisply by Maeda to Nakamura on the edge of the area. He wants to shoot but can’t find enough space, thanks mainly to Dumfries’s excellent positioning, so instead lays the ball back to the onrushing Sano. He drills a first-time shot over the bar; another moment of opportunity goes up in smoke.

26 min Football’s back, baby.

23 min Both teams have been more dangerous when attacking down their left, with Maeda and Gakpo looking sharp. You can chew on that insight, dear reader, while the players take a hydration break.

21 min “Has anybody else had to adjust their TV picture settings to accommodate the Dutch strip?” asks Richard Slassor.

I’d imagine a few thousand Scotland fans have had to dial down the brightness. Not sure whether that has anything to do with the Netherlands kit though.

19 min Malen stretches to collect a return pass from Gakpo onto the edge of the area. He’s slightly off balance and never quite has the ball under the control – so although he beats a couple of Japan defenders, another is on hand to clear.

18 min Summerville beats Nakamura and hammers a cross that is cleared at the far post. That burst from Summerville came after another slow-slow-quick attack; the rhythm of the game has been quite pronounced.

14 min The indefatigable Maeda spins away down the left and wins a corner off Dumfries. Nothing comes of the corner, but Japan come again down the left. Kubo plays in the underlapping Nakamura, whose dangerous low cross towards Maeda is crucially cut out at the near post by Van Hecke.

11 min Netherlands have come closest to scoring but Japan have been better on the ball. As they pop it around in midfield, the great commentator Jon Champion delivers an excellent stat on ITV: this is the first time the Netherlands have started a World Cup game without a player from their own domestic league.

8 min Maeda pulls into space on the left and hits an early cross that is swept away on the bounce by Van Dijk.

It’s been a bright and breezy start, with both teams going for it.

6 min Nakamura beats Van de Ven on the left wing and is pulled back. That could easily have brought a yellow card. Don’t ask me why Van de Ven was temporarily playing right-back, because I have no idea.

1 min Peep peep! Netherlands, dressed in brilliant orange, kick off from left to right as we watch. Japan are wearing their blue home strip; and whether you’re into the game or into fashion, the Japan Home Kit is a piece that shows ambition and pride with subtlety. With a wave-inspired white graphic on deep blue, this kit is a nod to national identity - made to inspire you to go beyond the horizon.”

“I followed Andrew Goudie’s link to Joachim Klement’s analysis and, even though it’s by an economist, it’s a cracking read,” begins Charles Antaki. “Sample:

Group D is the most evenly matched group of all ... It will all depend on the form on the day who will succeed, but I think the Australians will summon their cricket spirit and win the group in the same way they win the Ashes – mostly due to the ineptitude of their opponents, and if that isn’t enough, then cheating.

“He’s also willing to predict that ‘Japan will win against Brazil’ .. though he does go on to claim that it’ll be ‘one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history’, which looks a bit charitable to Brazil at the moment.”

A reminder of the teams

Netherlands (4-3-3) Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo.

Subs: Roefs, Flekken, Geertruida, Ake, Wieffer, Hato, De Roon, Kluivert, Til, Q Timber, Koopmeiners, Weghorst, Depay, Lang, Brobbey.

Japan (3-4-2-1) Z Suzuki; Watanabe, Taniguchi, H Ito; Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Kubo, Maeda; Ueda.

Subs: Osako, Hayakawa, Sugawara, Itakura, Nagatomo, Seko, Tomiyasu, J Suzuki, Tanaka, K Ito, Y Suzuki, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai.

Referee Ismail Elfath (USA)

“Ah, Mogwai,” purrs Matt Dony. “Magnificent. Been reminding myself of their genius recently. Ceiling Granny from 2021’s As The Love Continues is a better Smashing Pumpkins song than anything Billy Corgan has written in the last 20 years.

“Similarly, in Liverpool’s title season (feels a long time ago), Ryan Gravenberch was a better Claude Makelele than almost any other player has managed in the last 20 years. I hope he can bring that energy, disruptiveness and ball-playing to this tournament.

“I’m hoping the Netherlands go far. Mind you, Japan are always a likeable team, too. Argh, I don’t know! Let’s simply hope it’s entertaining!”

May nothing but happiness come through your door.

“‘An entire postcode of imaginary farms’ sounds like a chapter in Cruyff’s autobiography, tbh,” writes James Humphries. “One of the later ones just before he unretires, I guess.”

You need space to teach people Total Football, mate, and you need an imagination too.

“I was in the middle of writing a witty message on the mathematician who claimed the Dutch would win, only to see that somebody has beaten me to it,” writes Eva Maaten. “Oh well. But, I can share with you the reaction of my Dutch husband and half-Dutch daughter which one of slightly amused disbelief – not much confidence in this Dutch team.”

Let’s accentuate the positive: if this relatively unfancied Netherlands side win the World Cup, we’ll know for sure that Joachim Klement’s model is bulletproof. And I’ll own an entire postcode of imaginary farms.

A couple of DMs to look out for tonight

Spain, who are going to win the World Cup since you asked, get their campaign under way against Cape Verde tomorrow. Sid Lowe’s preview is as readable as ever.

“After seeing that Curacao are as good as the 2014 Brazil side, I am now all set for this mouthwatering contest,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “Will this be the first goalless draw of the tournament? Or an engaging 2-2 draw? I will settle for anything if someone can recreate the Bergkamp magic just one more time.”

Fun fact: in a world of VAR, Bergkamp would have been suspended for the France 98 quarter-final against Argentina.

“German economist Joachim Klement’s mathematical model has predicted the winner of every World Cup since 2014, and this time he’s predicting the Netherlands to beat Portugal in the final,” writes Andrew Goudie. “I’m all for a bit of maths, but in this case I think I’d prefer my predictions done by an octopus.”

That slimy fraud has been winging it for years. And as for Paul the Octopus, etc.

(But seriously, three winners in a row is pretty persuasive. If I had a farm, I’d be tempted to put in on the Netherlands.)

The New York Knicks’ NBA glory has absolutely nothing to do with the World Cup – but only if you take these things literally. In Manhattan right now, it’s an essential part of the 2026 World Cup story.

On Haiti v Scotland

William MacGregor, 41, from Dumbarton, described the post-goal atmosphere as “bouncing … Drinks were flying everywhere when the goal went in. Not mine, I kept mine.”

“Thoroughly looking forwards to this,” says James Humphries. “Japan are great fun every time I watch them and my understanding is that the Dutch aren’t defensively at their best, so could be the game of the tournament so far.

”I hope it’s exciting, anyway, because, I didn’t get to my pit till about half five last night (along with about half the population of Glasgow, given the number of cheery wasters I passed on the way) and then had to get up at ten to go take my daughter swimming; if I was about ten years older, medics would probably describe my current mental state as “a bit confused”, in the sort of tones used to tell family members news that could be worse but still nonetheless isn’t great.

“So, um, what... what was I talking about, again?”

Cheery wasters? Japan? Something like that.

The connection between King Lear and the 1966 World Cup is little known, mainly because it affected very few people at a now defunct boarding school. I had been a surprise selection to act in the school’s production of Lear (yes, I played the Fool; yes, I was typecast). The day before one of the performances I fell and twisted something and was a doubtful starter for a part that required a lot of dashing about.

Matron prescribed sleeping pills. That night England were playing Mexico in that now-sanctified tournament – almost a must-win after a goalless start against Uruguay. I went to bed early, tucked my transistor under the pillow to hear the commentary, went spark out and only heard the result next morning: England 2 Mexico 0. The rest is national history.

In 2002 there was a sense that Japan had slightly missed an opportunity. South Korea may have enjoyed the benefit of some favourable refereeing, but they also impressed. They were quick, technically good and tactically extremely flexible and they progressed to the semi-final of their home World Cup.

Japan did not do much wrong, topping their group before going down 1-0 to Turkey in the last 16, but the contrast with their co-hosts was inevitably underwhelming.

Although Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo earned moves to PSV off the back of South Korea’s performances, and subsequently joined Manchester United and Tottenham respectively, Japan already had four players with European clubs, although one of them, Junichi Inamoto, had briefly returned to Gamba Osaka from his loan at Arsenal before leaving for Fulham. He never played a league game for Arsène Wenger, his next permanent move taking him to West Brom, where he struggled to make an impact.

The poor Japanese journalist whose job it was to cover him became a great figure of sympathy. The final question of each of Bryan Robson’s pre-match press conferences would always be him asking politely about Inamoto’s progress in training – at least until the moment, after almost two years, when he finally snapped and demanded, with despairing incredulity: “Mr Robson, why do you pick Darren Carter?”

Germany are cruising to victory over Curacao in today’s first game. But whatever the score, the match will be remembered for the greatest moment of Livano Comenencia’s career.

GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! Germany 1-1 Curacao (Comenencia 21)

Do not adjust your screen! This is actually happening! And you know what? It’s almost been coming! Again, Curacao attack, slipping a pass into the box, and when the ball breaks to Locadia, he shoots, the effort blocked, but Comenencia arrives on to it, his shot flicks off a Kimmich, the deflection taking it over Neuer’s hands, and CURACAO HAVE LEVELLED IT AGAINST GERMANY! THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT, AND IMAGINE THE SOUTH CARIBBEAN RIGHT ABOUT NOW!