7 days · 11 summary articles
Japan stunned the Netherlands 2-2 in a dramatic Group F opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas, as Daichi Kamada’s 89th-minute header denied Ronald Koeman’s side a crucial victory. The late equalizer capped a frantic second half that saw the Dutch squander a two-goal lead after Koeman’s triple substitution at halftime left Oranje bereft of rhythm. The draw leaves both teams on one point in a fiercely competitive group that also includes Ecuador and the Ivory Coast.
Netherlands had dominated early, with Xavi Simons and Memphis Depay putting them 2-0 up inside 20 minutes. But Japan fought back through Ritsu Doan and Takefusa Kubo before Kamada’s deflected finish in stoppage time sparked wild celebrations among the Japanese bench and supporters. “Fortune favours Kamada as Japan rescue World Cup draw with Netherlands,” noted *The Guardian* .
Koeman defended his controversial substitutions—replacing Depay, Cody Gakpo, and Nathan Aké at the interval—insisting he had “no regrets” despite the collapse. “We had control, but after the changes we lost our speed and intensity,” he told Dutch media . Analysts were swift to criticise the decision, with *NRC* reporting that Oranje “lost all initiative” after the break and allowed Japan to dictate the tempo .
In Group E, Germany announced their arrival in emphatic fashion, crushing debutants Curaçao 7-1 in Houston. Kai Havertz and Felix Nmecha each scored twice as Hansi Flick’s side set an early marker in a group featuring Japan and Spain. Curaçao, despite their heavy defeat, made history by scoring their first-ever World Cup goal through Livano Comenencia, a moment that drew rare praise from stunned broadcasters .
Japan’s resilience and Curaçao’s historic debut contrasted sharply with Oranje’s fraught evening. The Dutch, now under pressure to regroup for their next match against Ecuador on Friday, must address their tactical fragility. For Japan, Kamada’s last-gasp heroics offered a statement of intent in a tournament already defying pre-match predictions.