Netherlands 2-2 Japan: Kamada Snatches World Cup Draw
Daichi Kamada's 88th-minute deflection earned Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Sunday 14 June. Japan came from behind twice in front of 69,285. Ronald Koeman's side had led through Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville. The point keeps Japan and the Netherlands level on a point each in Group F after Sweden's 5-1 win over Tunisia on the same day.
Japan drew 2-2 with the Netherlands in their 2026 World Cup Group F opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Sunday 14 June, in front of 69,285. Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville scored for the Dutch. Keito Nakamura and Daichi Kamada equalised twice for Japan.
1. How did Japan come back to draw 2-2 with the Netherlands?
All four goals came in the second half. Van Dijk opened it in the 50th minute, an unmarked header from Ryan Gravenberch's cross. Six minutes later, Japan were level. Takefusa Kubo pulled the ball back to Keito Nakamura on the edge of the area; Nakamura drilled it into the bottom-left corner with a small deflection off Jan Paul van Hecke.
Koeman's side restored the lead in the 64th minute. Gravenberch found Summerville on the right, the winger cut on to his weaker left foot, and fired in off the far post past Zion Suzuki. The goal looked like it would settle the match.
Japan kept asking. Substitute Koki Ogawa rose to a header in the 88th minute that took a deflection off Daichi Kamada on its way in. The official scorer credited the goal to Kamada. Japan had stolen a point at the death.
2. Summerville's moment, Van Dijk's header
Summerville's left-footed strike was first-pick justification. The winger had only made the squad after Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong was left out of Koeman's final 26, and his 64th-minute moment was the piece of magic Goal singled out in an otherwise drab Dutch performance.
Van Dijk's opener was function. The Liverpool centre-back found the loose space on a Gravenberch delivery and looped his header to the far post. Memphis Depay led the Netherlands line. The Dutch attack mostly went through Frenkie de Jong from deep, and the structure stuttered as Japan grew into the second half.
Japan's 3-4-2-1 was harder to play through than the formation suggested. Kubo carried the creative load. Nakamura's finish was the kind of strike that hides the hard work that builds up to it. Zion Suzuki dealt with everything Summerville and Memphis sent at him until the 64th.
3. What the result means for Group F
Sweden lead the group on three points after their 5-1 win over Tunisia in Monterrey on the same day, with two long-range strikes from Yasin Ayari and goals from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and Mattias Svanberg. Netherlands and Japan share second on a point each. Tunisia are bottom.
The Netherlands face Sweden at NRG Stadium in Houston on Saturday 20 June in what is now the biggest fixture in the group. Tunisia and Japan meet at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey the same day. Japan close their group against Sweden at AT&T Stadium on Thursday 25 June. The Dutch finish against Tunisia at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City the same night.
Koeman has a midweek to fix the second-half passivity that cost his side two points. Japan have proof again that they belong on this stage.