Japan Draws 2-2 Against Netherlands in 'Group of Death' After 88th-Minute Equalizer

Japan, which has publicly declared its ambition to challenge for the world title, demonstrated its resilience by securing a point after a tenacious battle against powerhouse the Netherlands in its opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The Japanese national football team, led by head coach Hajime Moriyasu, drew 2-2 in their Group F opener held at Dallas Stadium in Texas, USA, on the 15th (KST), thanks to an equalizer by Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace) in the 43rd minute of the second half.
After conceding the opening goal to Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) of the Netherlands in the second half, Japan leveled the score through Keito Nakamura (Stade de Reims). Although they fell behind again after a goal by Crysencio Summerville (West Ham United), Japan escaped defeat with a lucky goal from Kamada with just two minutes left in regulation time.
With this result, all nations from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have now secured points in their opening matches of the tournament as of today.
In earlier matches, South Korea and Australia defeated the Czech Republic and Turkey, respectively, while Qatar drew with Switzerland.
Group F, which includes the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia, is considered the "Group of Death" in this tournament.
The Netherlands-Japan match, in particular, was highlighted as one of the few marquee matchups in the entire group stage.
Heading into the match, the Netherlands was ranked 8th and Japan 18th in the FIFA world rankings.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.