ARLINGTON, June 15 — Japan showed their battling qualities to salvage a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup Group F opener on Sunday, as Hajime Moriyasu's side backed up their desire to make an impact at the tournament with a gritty display.
Daichi Kamada was credited with Japan's all-important second goal in the 88th minute when the ball deflected off the Crystal Palace midfielder's head to beat Bart Verbruggen after Koki Ogawa had powered his header towards goal.
The equaliser was Japan's second of the match. The Samurai Blue had gone behind to Crysencio Summerville's curling strike after Keito Nakamura had cancelled out Virgil van Dijk's 51st-minute opener.
Japan went into the match at Dallas Stadium without Wataru Endo, who had been withdrawn from the squad due to injury by Moriyasu, but the four-time Asian champions responded to the loss of their influential midfielder with a determined performance.
Solid job
"The players did a solid job of carrying out what we had targeted and prepared for," said Moriyasu.
"There had been various incidents even before the opening match. But in that first match, there was a real sense of unity.
"Even with unexpected accidents and situations we had not anticipated, I think the players stayed calm and composed and overcame the reality in front of them."
Japan needed to show their composure from the early stages, with Zion Suzuki forced to deny Donyell Malen, the goalkeeper palming the ball over the bar in the third minute.
That early warning jolted Japan into taking control of possession, limiting opportunities for both sides.
Hiroki Ito's defensive work frustrated Malen in the 34th minute and, from the resulting Tijjani Reijnders corner, Suzuki kept out the forward's header.
Nakamura almost put Japan ahead late in the first half, pulling his shot wide of Verbruggen's right post after being found by Ritsu Doan's searching cross. Moments later, Ayase Ueda hit the side netting.
Deserved reward
The Netherlands threatened from the start of the second half and earned a deserved reward six minutes after the restart when Van Dijk scored.
Reijnders' free kick was headed clear by Doan to Frenkie de Jong, who shifted possession to Ryan Gravenberch. The Liverpool midfielder sent an inviting cross towards his clubmate, who nodded beyond Suzuki via the inside of the post.
Japan had been second best after the interval but drew level within seven minutes when Nakamura drove a deflected strike into the bottom corner from Takefusa Kubo's cutback.
Parity lasted only seven minutes as the Dutch reclaimed the lead through Summerville, the West Ham United winger curling a perfectly placed left-footed strike around Suzuki from just inside the area.
Kubo shot over the bar while on the run as Japan sought another response and, in the dying moments, their efforts paid off.
Ogawa powered his header towards goal and, with the ball taking a deflection off the head of the unwitting Kamada, Verbruggen was unable to prevent the Japanese from claiming a second equaliser.
The result left Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman frustrated at his side's inability to hold onto their lead twice, with the Dutch facing Sweden in their next Group F encounter in Houston on Saturday.
"It's disappointing," said Koeman. "You come ahead twice and you don't end up winning the game, but you shouldn't underestimate the strength of our opponent. That's my opinion."
