Kamada’s 88th-minute – Daichi Kamada scored with an 88th-minute header from Koki Ogawa’s corner as Japan overturned a Netherlands lead to draw 2-2 in their World Cup opener in Texas, denying the Dutch after they struck early in the second half.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas heat was doing its best to slow everything down at AT&T Stadium, but the mood swung the moment Daichi Kamada met Koki Ogawa’s corner with a perfectly timed header in the 88th minute.
Samurai Blue fans erupted. The Netherlands. already reeling from a late escape. ended up staring at a 2-2 draw instead of an opener they looked ready to walk through. The goal handed Japan a dramatic response to a match that had changed fast after halftime. and it also left the Oranje supporters stunned after the Dutch extended their unbeaten run to 16 games in group play.
The Dutch had looked in control early in the second half. Virgil van Dijk put them ahead in the 50th minute with a header toward the far post that caromed in. his strike becoming the captain’s 13th international goal. Crysencio Summerville then scored to open the floodgates in the 64th minute, taking the lead for the eighth-ranked Netherlands.
Japan refused to stay behind. Keito Nakamura brought them level in the 71st minute. turning and rifling a shot past Bart Verbruggen from the left side of the arc after taking a pass from Takefusa Kubo. Another quick swing followed immediately after when. seven minutes later. Summerville struck again — receiving a pass from Ryan Gravenberch and driving a left-footed shot to the far left post. where it caromed in past Zion Suzuki.
That made the final minutes feel like they were slipping away for Japan. Ogawa’s corner was their last push. and Kamada’s header found its way in despite Bart Verbruggen getting his hands to it on a sprawling dive. The ball deflected slightly on its route, adding to the scramble before the header landed. Japan’s late equalizer wrote the ending they needed. and it left the Netherlands with Oranje fans stunned and their tournament stance harder to read than expected.
The Netherlands entered the weekend with an impressive group record. but the timing of this draw mattered: the Dutch had been on a run of not losing in group play for 16 games. Even with the result. the Netherlands’ supporters faced the reality of a 21-2-11 group-play record at the World Cup — the kind of stat line that suddenly feels less comforting when a match ends like this.
There was no telling shape to the contest at first. The first half was uneventful. and the stadium’s giant video board and the muggy conditions left plenty of distractions for an evenly split crowd at AT&T Stadium — home of the Dallas Cowboys and known here for the retractable roof that offered some relief.
After the 1994 World Cup. when the Netherlands’ last loss before the elimination round came in a group match and was followed by a quarterfinal defeat to Brazil at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. this opening draw will carry memories for the Oranje faithful. For Japan, the same fixture type — a must-solve opener — ended with a headline goal rather than a settling performance.
In Group F, the Netherlands play Sweden on Saturday in Houston, while Japan heads to Monterrey, Mexico, to face Tunisia on Saturday.
Japan Netherlands draw Daichi Kamada Koki Ogawa corner Virgil van Dijk header Crysencio Summerville goals Keito Nakamura World Cup opener AT&T Stadium
88th minute header like?? Wild.
I only caught the part about Netherlands being up 2-0 or whatever and then suddenly it’s 2-2?? How does that even happen in one game lol. Kamada must’ve been unstoppable.
Wait so Japan scored at the 88th minute but the article says Ogawa’s corner was their last push… so did Ogawa not play at all until then? Sounds like some weird strategy. Also I thought Van Dijk was like always the one scoring headers, not conceding them.
Texas heat or not, the Netherlands should’ve held it. 16 games unbeaten?? and then they just folded. I don’t get it. Feels like one bounce off the post and then everything snowballed, like football is basically luck sometimes.