Daichi Kamada rose to head a deflected corner past a helpless Bart Verbruggen in the 88th minute, rescuing a deserved point for Japan in a wildly entertaining Group F opener against the Netherlands at the Dallas Stadium. The goal, celebrated by the entire Japanese bench spilling onto the pitch, capped a remarkable fightback from Hajime Moriyasu's side, who twice came from behind in a match that felt like a throwback to the unpredictability of international tournaments.
On a throbbingly hot afternoon in the low flat plains outside Dallas, the Netherlands had taken the lead through captain Virgil van Dijk, the 34-year-old Liverpool defender powering home a header to become the oldest player to notch a World Cup goal for his nation. Van Dijk, who had 114 touches – more than any other player on the pitch – and even took goal kicks due to Bart Verbruggen's recent hip problem, remained the Dutch heartbeat. But Japan, with a back three and attacking midfielders in wing-back spots, refused to buckle. They equalised, then fell behind again when Crysencio Summerville slotted home after a fine run from Donyell Malen.
“Daichi Kamada's 88th-minute equaliser earned Japan a 2-2 World Cup draw against the Netherlands in Dallas.”
Just as Ronald Koeman's side looked set to seize early control of a tough group, Kamada struck. The entire bench emptied onto the turf as Japan celebrated a point that felt like more. “Sport does like to spring surprises,” wrote the Guardian, capturing the sense that this World Cup – after talk of empty seats and format fatigue – was producing genuine drama. The stadium was full, the atmosphere electric, and Japan's ambition to win the tournament – stated openly by Moriyasu before the game – suddenly did not seem so far-fetched.
For the Netherlands, the draw exposed an over-reliance on Van Dijk, whose staggering workload (5,841 minutes since June 2025, the most in Europe's top-five leagues) raises concerns for his fitness – and for Liverpool, whose new manager Andoni Iraola will hope his captain returns fresh from the tournament. But for now, the story belonged to Kamada and a Japanese side that refused to accept defeat.