Edited by Paul Elegbeleye
Slated as the first match of the preliminary round for Group
F, the Netherlands versus Japan promised to be a fascinating contest.
The Netherlands, a three-time World Cup runner-up, is a
European powerhouse known for their Total Football philosophy and consistent
production of world-class talent for decades. They are the clear favourites in
their Group.
Japan, on the other hand, is a much less renowned side in World
Cup history, only making their debut at the tournament in 1998. However, this East
Asian Island nation is not one to be written off or taken for granted.
They have successfully qualified for every World Cup since
their debut twenty-eight years ago, and have built a reputation for themselves
as giant slayers.
In the 2018 tournament in Russia, they defeated Colombia,
becoming the first Asian side to beat a team from South America. More notably,
though, at Qatar 2022, they registered group stage victories over two
formidable European teams, Germany and Spain, both former World Champions.
A Goalless First-Half
While the first forty-five minutes of the faceoff between
the Netherlands and Japan were rather uneventful at the start, as the Dutch were
in charge of the slow pace of the game. Things did not stay this way for long.
After the first water break, the Dutch players began to mount pressure on the
Japanese side, resulting in Japan’s goalie, Zion Suzuki, being forced to pull
off a brilliant save from a dangerous header. This pressure was maintained with
the game being played almost exclusively in the Japanese half.
However, relief arrived when the Japanese side broke the
long siege to register some shots on the Dutch goal. The game moved away from
the Japanese 18-yard box and soon turned into a skirmish in the middle of the
park in Dallas. Eventually, the first half has little to offer with regards to
highlights and ends in a goalless draw.
Japan Equalises Twice Against Netherlands for a 2-2 draw
The Orange men of the Netherlands resumed the second half
with vigour, possibly fuelled by an inspiring locker room speech from their
head coach, the legendary Ronald Koeman. They forcefully regained control of
the game and began to mount pressure anew on the Japanese goal. This paid off
when Virgil Van Dijk got on the end of a cross into the Japanese box and broke
the deadlock. Suzuki stretched himself to the limit but just could not reach
the perfectly placed ball before it got into the corner. This 50th-minute goal
wraps the Dutch team in an air of confidence embodied by their cool,
goal-scoring captain.
Nevertheless, the Japanese do not let their heads drop. They
take the fight to the Dutch and suddenly draw level seven minutes later with a
stunner of a goal by Keito Nakamura from the edge of the box. Their very first
shot on target. The eruption of the stadium in response to the equaliser seemed
to energise the Asian side as they pushed for a second goal. Their efforts are
nullified by Crysencio Summerville’s 64th-minute strike, firmly putting the
Netherlands back in the lead.
A tug of war of some sort ensues in the later part of the
match. The Dutch and Japanese engage in a push-and-pull contest of possession,
chances and dangerous runs, the former seeking to control the tempo of the game and the latter absolutely refusing to yield and be controlled. Oranje
play with the confident swagger of a European powerhouse, while the Samurai
Blue press on with the fervency of a team with a point to prove.
With the match almost played to completion, it seems to be
all over for the East Asian team as the Dutch defence fights off wave after
wave of Japanese attack, but like all walls eventually do, it cracks under
pressure in the 88th minute. Daichi Kamada scores a fantastic header to bring
Japan back on level terms, ending the game in an exciting two-all tie.
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