TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan avoided defeat after Daichi Kamada's last-minute goal earned the Samurai Blue a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening Group F match of the 2026 World Cup at Dallas Stadium, United States, on Monday.
Kamada snatched victory from the Oranje, who had led twice thanks to goals from Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville.
This result leaves the 2026 World Cup Group F race wide open. The Netherlands and Japan both have one point from their first matches.
Sweden and Tunisia, both in this group, have a chance to secure first place if they win their meeting at Monterrey Stadium, Canada, on Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. WIB (Western Indonesian Time).
The Netherlands dominated from the first half and immediately threatened through Donyell Malen in the third minute. However, Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was quick to thwart him.
Malen had another golden opportunity in the 34th minute with a header from Tijjani Reijnders' corner. Suzuki once again put in a brilliant performance to keep the Samurai Blue goal clean.
Japan, who had been mostly defensive, then created a chance before halftime. However, Ayase Ueda's effort was fruitless.
The score remained scoreless until halftime.
The Netherlands broke the deadlock in the 50th minute. Ryan Gravenberch's corner was headed home by Virgil van Dijk to give the Oranje a 1-0 lead.
But the lead didn't last long. Japan equalized seven minutes later thanks to Keito Nakamura's goal, converting a Takefusa Kubo shot.
The Netherlands restored their lead in the 64th minute through an individual effort from Crysencio Summerville. After receiving a pass from Gravenberch, the winger made a run down the flank before unleashing a curling shot that Zion Suzuki couldn't stop.
With the Netherlands on the verge of winning the match, Japan pulled off a surprise in the final minute. Taking advantage of a corner kick, Daichi Kamada scored in the 89th minute with a header despite being closely guarded by Van Dijk to ensure the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Read: 2026 World Cup: Netherlands vs Japan Prediction and Preview
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