Japan rescue a 2-2 against the Netherlands in stoppage time in Arlington
Van Dijk and Summerville put the Oranje ahead, but Nakamura and Kamada earned Japan a golden point.
The Netherlands and Japan served up an end-to-end thriller that finished 2-2 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the climate-controlled colossus in the Dallas area famed for its retractable roof and one of the most spectacular video screens on the planet. Group F of the 2026 World Cup is left with a breathless contest and a point that tastes very different in each dressing room.
The Oranje struck after the break: in the 51st, Virgil van Dijk converted an assist from Ryan Gravenberch to put the Dutch ahead. Japan replied at once in the 57th through Ko Nakamura, set up by Takefusa Kubo, but Crysencio Summerville restored the Netherlands' lead in the 64th, again from a Gravenberch pass. When the game looked settled, Daichi Kamada popped up in the 89th, assisted by Ogawa, to make it 2-2.
The closing stages were a card-fest for the Dutch: yellows for Summerville (61), Memphis Depay (83) and Micky van de Ven (90) captured the tension of an agonising finish. Ronald Koeman fielded his classic 4-3-3 with Bart Verbruggen in goal, the Van Dijk-Van de Ven centre-back pairing and a midfield of Frenkie de Jong and Tijjani Reijnders, plus Cody Gakpo up front.
Hajime Moriyasu countered with a brave 3-4-2-1 featuring Zion Suzuki between the posts, Kubo and Nakamura as the playmakers and Ayase Ueda as the focal point. The Japanese coach's attacking gamble paid off in stoppage time and confirmed the team's competitive edge against a European heavyweight.
The shared spoils tighten Group F, where with 48 nations in play every point matters. Japan prove they can go toe to toe with the elite and the Netherlands rue two squandered leads in a 2026 World Cup that allows no let-up.