You write these moments down and people think you're making them up. Japan, 2-1 down going into the final ten minutes, somehow finding a way to level against one of Europe's most dangerous sides. Daichi Kamada, Crystal Palace's quietly brilliant midfielder, prodding the ball home in the 89th minute at AT&T Stadium in Dallas to spark scenes of absolute delirium among the thousands of Japanese fans packed into that vast Texas arena.
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Netherlands were supposed to be the team making history here. They came into this Group F opener as heavy favourites, packed with Premier League talent, and led by Virgil van Dijk — a man determined to sign off his international career with the trophy he never quite managed to win. For 64 minutes, the script was going to plan. Then Japan tore it up completely.
A Second Half That Had Everything
The first half was forgettable. Both teams felt their way into the game, neither willing to commit too much too soon, and a goalless first 45 minutes reflected the cautious opening exchanges. The 69,285 fans inside the stadium probably feared they were in for a drab afternoon.
Then everything changed. Virgil van Dijk opened the scoring in the 51st minute, rising brilliantly from a Ryan Gravenberch cross to power a header past Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. It was the kind of goal you expected from the Liverpool captain — commanding, assured, almost inevitable.
Japan hit back within six minutes. Keito Nakamura drifted centrally and let fly with a low drive that clipped off Jan Paul van Hecke on its way in. Whether it was a deflection or not didn't matter — Japan were level, and suddenly the match was alive.
Netherlands retook the lead in the 64th minute through a moment of pure quality. Crysencio Summerville cut inside from the right, ignored the overlapping Denzel Dumfries, and curled a left-footed shot off the post and in. It was a brilliant, instinctive finish from a player who had been exceptional all season for his Premier League club.
Kamada's Moment of Magic
At 2-1, Netherlands looked comfortable. Ronald Koeman made what seemed like a pragmatic substitution, bringing on defender Nathan Ake for midfielder Gravenberch in the 81st minute to shore things up. It is a decision he will have spent some time thinking about overnight.
With ten minutes left, Japan pressed with increasing urgency. Junya Ito whipped in a corner from the right. Koki Ogawa attacked the ball and got a touch, but it was Kamada who reacted first in the six-yard box, diverting the ball beyond a helpless Bart Verbruggen in the 89th minute to make it 2-2.
The Japanese fans in blue erupted. Kamada, normally composed and understated, let the emotion out completely. It was the latest goal Japan have ever scored in their World Cup history, and it denied the Dutch a win they had largely seemed to have secured.
Netherlands Must Be Better
Ronald Koeman was honest after the game. He called the performance his side's "minimal standard" if they want to go far in this tournament — a pointed assessment that suggested he expects significantly more from his players in the matches ahead. Netherlands had the quality to win this game comfortably. They didn't.
Japan, meanwhile, can take enormous confidence from this result. They had to come from behind twice and found a way. The Samurai Blue have shown at previous World Cups that they are capable of producing genuine upsets. On this evidence, they are a team nobody in this group will want to face.
It was a remarkable opening to Group F. And a reminder that the 2026 World Cup, with its 48 teams and longer group stage, has all the ingredients to deliver moments exactly like this one — when the expected result doesn't arrive, and something far more interesting happens instead.
Match Result: Netherlands 2-2 Japan (Virgil van Dijk 51', Crysencio Summerville 64'; Keito Nakamura 57', Daichi Kamada 89') | Group F, AT&T Stadium, Dallas
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