Daiichi Kamada knew little about the goal. By the time the ball brushed his forehead and curled beyond Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the 88th minute, the Japanese midfielder was surrounded by pockets of teammates, substitutes and supporters who thought they had something bigger than the late equaliser.
For more than a decade, Kamada’s career has largely unfolded in Germany, away from following Japanese stars like Takefusa Kubo. He built his reputation at Eintracht Frankfurt, helping the club win the Europa League in 2022 and becoming the first Japanese attacking midfielder to flourish in a major European league as a producer rather than just a hard-working runner. In many ways, his journey mirrors modern Japanese football: understated, intelligent and impossible to ignore.
As happened | Netherlands vs Japan, FIFA World Cup 2026
On Sunday night in Dallas, Kamada provided the finishing touch as Japan came from twice behind to win a thrilling 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in one of the most fascinating matches of the World Cup’s opening week.
The tournament was billed as a meeting between two ambitious footballing nations looking for new ground. The Netherlands are still chasing the World Cup title that eluded them despite three appearances in the finals. Japan, meanwhile, have become Asia’s standard-bearers and continue their quest to reach their first quarter-final. By the final whistle, both had given evidence that they could still go deep into the tournament.
For 45 minutes, however, caution trumped ambition.
The Netherlands controlled possession but resisted the urge to overcommit, wary of Japan’s pace of transition. Japan, meanwhile, remained concise and disciplined, preferring restraint over adventure. The clearest moments belonged to the Dutch, and the busiest player on the field was Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
Born in the United States to a Ghanaian father and a Japanese mother, Suzuki is regarded as one of Asia’s brightest goalkeeping prospects. Against a Dutch side that boasted Virgil van Dijk, Mikey van de Ven and Cody Gakpo, he repeatedly justified that reputation. He denied Doniel Mallen, reacted sharply to a powerful header and confidently commanded his area as the orange shirts gathered around the penalty box.
The game remained goalless at the interval but the balance of play favored the Netherlands.
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The breakthrough came six minutes after the restart. Ryan Gravenburch’s delivery found Virgil van Dijk, whose powerful finish finally broke the Japanese resistance. This seemed an inevitable reward for Dutch pressure.
Yet Japan has made a habit of rejecting scripts written by others.
Just six minutes later, Keto Nakamura capitalized on a rare error in the Dutch defense to restore parity. The equalizer instilled confidence in the Japanese side and turned the tide of the match.
Keto Nakamura (left) celebrates after scoring Japan’s opening goal with teammate Daiichi Kamada during their World Cup Group F match against the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
The Dutch responded effectively. In the 64th minute, Crisencio Summerville restored their advantage with a superb effort beyond Suzuki. The end looked decisive. Ronald Koeman’s side looked physically stronger, more comfortable in possession and more likely to see out the competition.
Instead, Japan kept coming.
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Without injured captain Wataru Endo, they continued to press and probe, confident of a side that has spent recent years beating the established powers and shaking off any lingering inferiority complex. The Dutch backline, comfortable for much of the evening, suddenly found themselves being asked new questions.
Their reward came two minutes from time.
A corner was deflected into the crowded Dutch penalty area. Substitute Koki Ogawa scored the most goals with a header. As the ball flew through a sea of bodies, it was destined to drift harmlessly beyond the far post. Then came a little intervention. Kamada, who was standing near the goalmouth, glanced at the ball and changed his path to go beyond Verbruggen.
The Netherlands took the lead twice and were unable to win. Japan had fallen behind twice and refused to lose.
The draw puts both teams well into a group that also includes Sweden and Tunisia. More importantly, it provided a glimpse into why both arrived in North America with ambitions beyond just making the playoffs. The Netherlands is one of the unfinished stories of the football World Cup. Japan looks like a nation ready to move beyond a dangerous outsider role.
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For a long time, the Dutch appeared a more polished side. They controlled possession, created clear chances and appeared to win the game twice. Yet Japan matched them for faith, organization and flexibility. Eventually, the result felt right and the competition felt significant.
The World Cup is only days away, but Dallas may have found its first classic. Four goals, two comebacks, a breakthrough performance from Suzuki and a late intervention from Kamada all combined to create a match fit for the occasion.