World Cup 2026: Japan Twice Recover to Hold Netherlands in Group F Opener

Van Dijk & Summerville score but Japan snatch 89th-minute equalizer

World Cup 2026 Group F opened with a 2-2 thriller. Van Dijk headed the Netherlands ahead, Summerville curled in on debut, but Japan hit back through Nakamura and an 89th-minute deflected Ogawa header to steal a point.

Japan snatch late draw vs Netherlands as Moriyasu’s dark horses fight back twice...

Japan twice came from behind to grab a dramatic 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup 2026 Group F opener. The result keeps the Blue Samurai unbeaten in eight straight - six wins and two draws.

The Dutch are known for flying out of the blocks at World Cups, but they ran into a Japan side that’s been troubling Europe’s elite lately.

Koeman’s Netherlands came out pressing for an early goal. Donyell Malen latched onto Cody Gakpo’s through ball and forced a sharp stop from Zion Suzuki. Japan hit back quickly - Shogo Taniguchi powered down the left and picked out Daizen Maeda, but Jan Paul van Hecke slid in with a perfect challenge to deny the Celtic striker.

The game was slow to catch fire and felt cagey early on, but the Dutch looked likelier to score first. Tijjani Reijnders swung in a corner for Malen and Suzuki saved his header, then Micky van de Ven nodded another Reijnders delivery over the bar from the Manchester City midfielder’s corner.

Japan’s best openings before halftime fell to Keito Nakamura and Ayase Ueda, but both fired just wide from inside the box.

The Netherlands broke the deadlock on 51 minutes. Reijnders’ free-kick was cleared, and Ryan Gravenberch picked up the loose ball and floated a perfect cross. Virgil van Dijk rose and powered a header in off the post to make it 1-0.

The Dutch lead didn’t last. Just six minutes later Nakamura latched onto Takefusa Kubo’s pass, took it in stride, and drilled a shot that deflected past Bart Verbruggen at the near post for 1-1.

The second half kept swinging. Crysencio Summerville put the Netherlands back ahead with a brilliant left-footed finish. The winger marked his first major tournament appearance by curling it into the far corner to make it 2-1.

Kubo tried to force the issue himself as Japan chased another equalizer, unleashing a fierce long-range strike that flew just over the bar.

But right when the Oranje thought they’d stolen all three points, Japan struck again in the 89th minute. Kōki Ogawa met Junya Ito’s corner with a header that clipped off Daichi Kamada and looped past Verbruggen for 2-2.

The draw stretches the Netherlands’ unbeaten run in World Cup group games to 17 — 12 wins, 5 draws - but they’ll be kicking themselves for letting the lead slip twice. For Japan, fighting back from behind twice only boosts their reputation as the tournament’s dark horses.