Japan Breaks Even with the Netherlands in 2026 World Cup; Both Teams Move On with Points

All four of the goals scored in Sunday’s contest between the Netherlands and Japan occurred after half-time. The Japanese and Dutch traded three goals within 13 minutes, and the squad with the Orange kits came out of the scoring frenzy with the lead. At the 67th minute, the Dutch held a huge opportunity to score another goal and secure a 3-1 lead, but it was halted after an offside flag was called on the Netherlands. Had it not been for six minutes of added time, the Japanese would have been facing elimination within one minute of Daichi Kamada’s header goal on an assist from Koki Ogawa. The Dutch were given another chance to win the contest, holding on to the ball for most of the added time, but they could not pull through, and both sides left Dallas with a point each. This exhilarating match was projected to be one of the most anticipated matchups in Dallas, and now that the result is in the books, here are two takeaways to keep an eye on for both squads. 

Netherlands Were Supposed to Win This One-How Do They Bounce Back? 

For the first time in World Cup history, the Netherlands failed to win a game in which they held the lead twice. Japan’s first goal, an out-of-nowhere strike from Keito Nakamura, took a ricochet bounce off another player and found its way into the net. It would’ve been no big issue, but Kamada’s header was another sudden strike against the Dutch, and now one of football’s premier nations will have a week to figure out how they blew not one, but two leads. Either way, the match came away with a few silver linings. Ryan Gravenberch became just the second Netherlands player, dating back to 1966, to record two assists in a World Cup debut. Crysencio Summerville will also be expected to bounce back in a major way, as even though he played through tight defense all game long, the 24-year-old Rotterdam native still gave his squad a chance to win. It’s going to be a tough pill to swallow, almost as if they dropped points instead of picking one up, but hope for the Netherlands isn’t completely out by any means. 

Japan’s Ceiling Becomes a Lot Higher After Today 

Sure, Sunday’s match will be viewed as an upset, and perhaps even a fluke, citing a poor late effort from the Dutch. Rendering the match as such, however, completely takes out the insane physical effort put in by the Japanese. Running hard from start to finish, Japan outpaced the Netherlands and could’ve stolen this game had they played with more of an aggressive edge on offense. With the even finish, the Japanese will now move through the group stage with house money and should feel an urge to take aim on offense in upcoming matchups with Tunisia and Sweden. For the last two World Cups, Japan has advanced to the Round of 16, and if Sunday’s match is any indication of a trend to come, then Samurai Blue has a clear path to making it three tournaments in a row.