In Group F of the FIFA World Cup alongside Sweden and Tunisia, the Netherlands and Japan put on a show after the break when they each scored twice.
The two teams played their second straight match in an official competition. The first time Holland and Japan met in 2010, in South Africa, and the Europeans won 1-0.
The first opportunity of the match was recorded in the 3rd minute, when Malen was found in the box, pivoted despite being tackled by the opponents, and then shot. Being on the path of the ball, the goalkeeper Suzuki rejected in the corner.
The Batavians dominated the first ten minutes, having 80% possession. There were also no scoring opportunities. And no more shots. Only in the 28th minute, the Japanese defender Ito sent with his left foot, but the ball ended up on the lawn.
Malen sent a header, at a corner, between Taniguchi and Maeda, but the same Suzuki rejected (min. 34).
In the 43rd minute, the Japanese were very close to opening the scoring, but Nakamura was unable to hit the goal. After another two minutes, it was Ueda’s turn to try his luck with his right foot, to no avail.
The first goal was scored in the 51st minute, when Virgil Van Dijk headed the ball into Suzuki’s goal. It was the first goal he scored in a World Cup final, and his 13th for the senior national team.
The advantage did not last very long. In the 57th minute, Keito Nakamura was found by Kubo on the left side and then beat Verbruggen with his right foot.
The Dutch returned to the attack and Crysencio Summerville, well served by Gravenberch, surprised Suzuki (min. 64).
Three minutes later, Kubo sent a fierce shot, but the ball went over Verbruggen’s crossbar.
At the end of the match, at a corner, Ogawa deflected the ball with his head, and Kamada made it impossible for the Dutch goalkeeper to intervene.
It must be said that the Dutch have not lost their first match at a World Cup final tournament since 1938, when they lost to Czechoslovakia (0-3). Since then, they have recorded seven wins and two draws.
Netherlands – Japan 2-2
ARLINGTON (June 15, 2026) * Stadium: AT&T * Referee: Ismail Elfath
They scored: Van Dijk (min. 51), Summerville (min. 64), respectively Nakamura (min. 57), Kamada (min. 89)
Yellow cards: Summerville (min. 61), Depay (min. 83), Van De Ven (min. 90)
Netherlands (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen – Dumfries, van Hecke, van Dijk, van de Ven – F. de Jong, Gravenberch – Summerville, Reijnders, Gakpo – Malen
Reserves: Roefs, Flekken, Ake, Brobbey, Depay, De Roon, Geertruida, Hato, J. Kluivert, Koopmeiners, Lang, Til, Q. Timber, Weghorst, Wieffer
Coach: Ronald Koeman
Japan (3-4-2-1): Suzuki – Watanabe, Taniguchi, H. Ito – Doan, Kamada, Sano, Nakamura – Kubo, Maeda – Ueda
Reserves: Hayakawa, Osako, Goto, Itakura, J. Ito, Machino, Nagatomo, Ogawa, Seko, Shiogai, Sugawara, J. Suzuki, Y. Suzuki, Tanaka, Tomiyasu
Coach: Hajime Moriyasu
