Netherlands 2-2 Japan - 2026 World Cup Match Report and Player Ratings

Summerville Announces His Arrival on International Stage in Stunning Fashion But Spoils are Shared

Group F of the FIFA World Cup got underway inside a packed Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as group favourites Netherlands locked horns with prospective dark horses Japan in what was a crucial opening match for both nations. The Samurai Blue headed into this tournament on a scary hot-streak, beating the likes of England and Brazil in the months preceding the World Cup; however, playing against a Dutch side who have not lost a World Cup game inside 90 minutes since 2006, it was sure to be an exciting occasion.

It was all fun and games between the Japan fans and the Oranje army prior to kick-off, and it last stayed that way as the spoils were shared, after goals from Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville were cancelled out by two equalisers by Keito Nakamura and Daichi Kamada.

😁🔊 This Japan fan made his way into the Netherlands celebrations! 🇳🇱❤️🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/an5vSJVuim

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) June 14, 2026

Action-Packed Second Half Sees Four Goals as Group F Left Wide Open

The game took just two minutes to spur into life. Dutch captain van Dijk found Cody Gakpo on the left flank who cut inside and fed the ball to Donyell Malen on the edge of the box. With his back to goal, the 27-year-old turned his man magnificently, and forced and a superb reflex save from Zion Suzuki in the Japan goal.

As Japan started to have a bit more of the ball, it was evident that Inter full-back Denzel Dumfries would have his hands full with Celtic winger Daizen Maeda, making plenty of darting runs on the left flank to give options for Japan to spread the play. In turn this showed that the left side might be their channel of choice to attack in although there was no chances to speak of the Asian nation to speak of to this point.

The Dutch themselves also found early success down the left flank, particularly through the close link-ups between Gakpo and Malen, which looked like their way in to create their next big opportunity.

Japan had their best chance of the half just after the hydration break, when Maeda and Ayase Ueda had the ball on the edge of the Netherlands box, but a lack of decision making allowed time for the Dutch to force the ball back to Nakamura who struck an ambitious effort high and wide.

It didn't take long for Netherlands to create another goalscoring chance though, as Gakpo whipped the ball in to the dangerous area, but Malen's header was not quite good enough to get past Suzuki.

The Dutch did do well to contain Japan, however, it didn't stop them from receiving two good last chances of the opening period, as firstly Nakamura found acres of space at the edge of the Netherlands box toward the back post, but his effort whistled whiskers wide of the left post before Ueda ran into the box on the right side, smashing his own shot into the side netting.

Half-Time Score: Netherlands 0-0 Japan

Heading into the game, it was the set-pieces and crosses that Netherlands looked most dangerous with, due to the height and physicality of the likes of van Dijk and Jan Paul van Hecke, and it was the former to put them in front.

A poor free-kick was cleared as far as Ryan Gravenberch, who precisely found van Dijk with a perfect cross for the 34-year-old to divert off the right post and in.

After finding success down the left on plenty of occasions in the first period, it was the right side which also came into play early in the second for the Dutch, who looked to find a second without reply.

However, the lead didn't last long.

The ball was worked well down the left, before Nakamura received it on the edge of the box, striking one hard and low with the help of a goal bound deflection from van Hecke.

The action-packed second half continued and within 13 minutes there had been a third goal. This time it was newbie Crysencio Summerville who struck; collected from Gravenberch, the West Ham winger cut in sharply and curled a wonderful left-footed effort in off the far post to restore the Dutch lead.

Crysencio Summerville's first goal for the Netherlands was a BIG one! 💫#FifaWorldCup pic.twitter.com/WtrlITHzBN

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 14, 2026

Next up, it was Takefusa Kubo with a fierce long-range strike which may have had Brighton 'keeper Bart Verbruggen worried for a second, forcing him into a strong save.

After the game's second hydration break, Japan looked more positive as they were in search of an equaliser, as the ball was cut back from the right side into Yukinari Sugawara in a promising area of the penalty box, but he failed to get enough power behind the strike to trouble Verbruggen.

With just moments to go in the game, Japan really ramped up the pressure on the Dutch eventually collapsed, allowing their opponents to level once more. This time it was from a corner, whipped in well to substitute Koki Ogawa whose header ricocheted off Daichi Kamada and into the back of the net - although Verbruggen would have hoped to have done better.

Full-Time Score: Netherlands 2-2 Japan

Netherlands Player Ratings

• Bart Verbruggen (5)
• Micky Van de Ven (7)
• Virgil van Dijk (8)
• Jan Paul van Hecke (7)
• Denzel Dumfries (7)
• Frenkie de Jong (6)
• Ryan Gravenberch (8)
• Tijjani Reijnders (7)
• Cody Gakpo (8)
• Donyell Malen (7)
• Crysencio Summerville (9)
• Quinten Timber (6)
• Teun Koopmeiners (6)
• Memphis Depay (5)
• Nathan Ake (6)
• Brian Brobbey (6)

Japan Player Ratings

• Zion Suzuki (8)
• Hiroki Ito (6)
• Shogo Taniguchi (7)
• Tsuyoshi Watanabe (7)
• Keito Nakamura (8)
• Daichi Kamada (6)
• Kaishu Sano (5)
• Ritsu Doan (6)
• Daizen Maeda (7)
• Takefusa Kubo (6)
• Ayase Ueda (7)
• Junya Ito (6)
• Takehiro Tomiyasu (6)
• Yukinari Sugawara (6)
• Koki Ogawa (8)
• Kento Shiogai (6)

Player of the Match - Crysencio Summerville

Upon getting relegated with West Ham from the Premier League, Summerville had yet to earn a cap for his country. Two friendly appearances later and he started their opening game in arguably their most important match.

He proved to be a serious threat down the right flank throughout, and you could see the trust from his teammates growing over time. That strike will forever live in his memory, and it is a goal that may well secure top spot in Group F.

Bad Day At the Office - Hiroki Ito

Now it doesn't feel good saying this as there was no standout player to give this label to, but it certainly safe to say that the Bayern defender would have liked to have had a better performance.

He failed to find much success at all on the right side, failing to find a teammate from any of his three crosses, and also losing all six of his aerial and ground duels.

Honourable Mention - Bart Verbruggen

He will hope to bounce back well from an effort he definitely should have been able to deal with for Japan's second equaliser.

He got a strong hand on it, and will certainly be ruing that mistake.