Japan hit back twice to start their World Cup campaign with an entertaining 2-2 draw against the Netherlands. The Dutch were denied a victory in their the World Cup Group F opener when Koki Ogawa’s 88th-minute header took a deflection off Daichi Kamada before going in at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
After a drab first half where chances were few and far between, the came to life when an unmarked Virgil van Dijk headed home in the 51st minute from Liverpool team-mate Ryan Gravenberch’s cross. Netherlands’ lead lasted just six minutes as Takefusa Kubo passed to Keito Nakamura, who drifted outside the area before rifling low into the net via a ricochet from Jan Paul van Hecke.
Ronald Koeman’s side went ahead again in the 64th minute when Crysencio Summerville cut in from the right on to his weaker left foot, ignoring the overlapping Denzel Dumfries, and firing excellently beyond Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and in off the post.
