LOS ANGELES:
Japan scored an 88th-minute equaliser as they twice fought again to rescue a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in entrance of 69,285 in Texas on Sunday to open their World Cup campaigns.
A match that had bubbled away within the first interval sparked into life within the second half.
Netherlands skipper Virgil van Dijk scored with a high quality header, just for Keito Nakamura to shortly degree, earlier than winger Crysencio Summerville’s scrumptious curled end into the underside nook simply after the hour.
The Dutch appeared like they’d maintain on, however Japan levelled on the demise with Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada credited with the purpose after a deflection.
Sweden face Tunisia in a competitive-looking Group F later Sunday.
Japan and the Netherlands are in North America lacking key gamers via harm, however on paper this was nonetheless one of many extra engaging fixtures within the group stage.
Each have been touted as darkish horses able to going far on the event — the Dutch have been runners-up 3 times whereas Japan have by no means gone past the final 16.
The Netherlands made a assured begin and practically took the lead after three minutes, Donyell Malen allowed to swivel contained in the field and forcing a wise save from Zion Suzuki.
The spectacular air-conditioned area is often residence to the Dallas Cowboys, and on the hydration break the NFL workforce’s cheerleaders had been proven on the large display screen hanging over the pitch performing one in every of their routines.
The stoppage appeared to assist Ronald Koeman’s facet and Roma ahead Malen once more labored Suzuki with a header from a nook, then Cody Gakpo fired wildly over the bar.
Japan’s followers, who had hardly stopped singing and outnumbered the Dutch contingent, had been briefly silenced.
The primary actual probability for Hajime Moriyasu’s workforce got here a couple of minutes earlier than the break when a cross evaded the backtracking Summerville however Nakamura pulled his low effort broad.
The Dutch had appeared most threatening within the air, so it was no shock when Liverpool talisman Van Dijk rose to plant a well-placed header into the underside nook after a pinpoint cross from membership team-mate Ryan Gravenberch on 51 minutes.
The lead lasted simply six minutes, Nakamura wriggling free and firing low previous goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, the ball taking a small deflection off Jan Paul van Hecke.
In a madcap interval of play, the Dutch solid forward as soon as extra on 64 minutes when West Ham’s Summerville beat his man on the fitting wing and curled into Suzuki’s bottom-right nook along with his left foot.
Each groups rang the modifications and had possibilities to attain once more, earlier than Kamada’s chaotic leveller from a nook.
