Daichi Kamada scored on a header off Koki Ogawa’s corner kick in the 88th minute, giving Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup opener on Sunday.

Game Recap

The Dutch extended their unbeaten streak to 16 games in group play, but the late goal left them at 21-2-11 in group play at the World Cup. Virgil Van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville scored for the Netherlands early in the second half, while Keito Nakamura had a goal between those as part of a three-goal flurry in just 14 minutes.

The game was played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a crowd evenly split between the two teams. The stadium’s retractable roof provided relief from the muggy Texas heat, and the giant video board was a focal point for fans.

Summerville gave the eighth-ranked Dutch the lead in the 64th minute, but Japan was able to tie the game when Ogawa sent the corner that Kamada timed perfectly. The ball deflected slightly on its way toward Bart Verbruggen, who got his hands on it with a sprawling dive but couldn’t keep it from going in.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.