On a throbbingly hot afternoon in the low flat plains outside Dallas, Japan's Daichi Kamada scored an 89th-minute equaliser to snatch a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening World Cup Group F game. The entire bib-clad Japanese bench emptied onto the pitch to celebrate Kamada's deflected goal, while Japan fans writhed and roared in the stands. "The Netherlands are a top-class international team," said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu. "Look at the Fifa rankings, there's quite a difference. But we can look back at today's match and learn from the Dutch and enhance our power." Moriyasu described the result as a "very meaningful point".
Virgil van Dijk had headed the Dutch ahead, and Crysencio Summerville restored their lead after Japan's first equaliser. The Dallas Stadium, a vast concrete spaceship dumped off the freeway, was full for the match. But while the action on the pitch thrilled, viewers at home were left unimpressed by ITV's picture quality. The broadcaster has received praise for its studio in Brooklyn, New York, with a stunning backdrop of the Manhattan skyline, but many took to social media to complain. One wrote on X: "Whats with the picture quality on @ITV? Absolutely awful. Glad I'm not a football fan because I couldn't sit and watch a match like that." Another said: "The @ITV picture quality of the World Cup is awful. Should have stayed in Salford and invested in some camera technology. It's like watching on a 24 inch Granada rental in the early 80s." A third fumed: "@ITV what's with the poor picture quality of your World Cup games, had to turn off watching the Japan v Dutch game giving me a headache. Same on previous matches." Another complained: "The picture quality is worse than a dial up stream 20 years ago. It's literally making my eyes go funny. Awful stuff @ITV." ITV's coverage is led by Mark Pougatch, Laura Woods and Semra Hunter, with pundits including Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Gary Neville, Duncan Ferguson, Patrick Vieira, Karen Carney, Ange Postecoglou, Juan Mata, Emma Hayes, Jobi McAnuff and Bradley Wright-Phillips. Director of Sport Niall Sloane had said: "This is the biggest FIFA World Cup in history and we will be live from New York City for the duration of the tournament, bringing every key moment to life, free-to-air." But with the picture quality under fire, viewers are left wondering if the broadcaster's technical setup matches its ambition.
“Daichi Kamada's 89th-minute equaliser earned Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands as ITV viewers complained about poor picture quality.”