Netherlands 2 Japan 2
A late Japanese dagger to stun the Dutch. This game was built up as the game of the World Cup so far but I wouldn’t have been surprised if there was people that switched it off after one of the worst first halves I’ve ever watched in a major tournament, we did get lift-off early in the second half as Gravenberch wiggled past two Japanese players and floated a brilliant cross to Van Dijk who’s header was pinpoint past Suzuki to give the Dutch the lead in the 50th minute. Despite the Netherland’s dominance it was Japan who struck back as Kubo laid the ball back to Nakamura who’s shot took a deflection and flew past Verbruggen to bring Japan level in the 57th minute, just a few minutes later the Dutch went back in front as Gravenberch passed the ball out to Summerville on the right who cut inside and fired a brilliant shot off the post and in to put the Netherlands back in front in the 64th minute. Just when it looked like the Dutch where going to see the game out Japan scored a late equaliser in the 88th minute from a corner that was won by Koki Ogawa who’s header took a nick off Daichi Kamada to win Japan a point in a hectic second half.
Japan will happily take the point after a conservative performance. I was a bit surprised at how defensive Japan were today especially in the first half where they had very few attacks that would have worried the Dutch backline but that all changed after the Netherlands made defensive changes to try and see out the game, Japan started to work themselves into the game and where well worthy of the equaliser in the end in my opinion. In the build-up to the tournament Japan kept 5 clean sheets in a row and you can see why with how organised they were tonight despite conceding two goals limiting the amount of chances that the Dutch had, despite that though I’d like to see a bit more from Japan in these next two games against Sweden and Tunisia where they will be favoured to win you’d imagine. Do Japan have enough quality going forward to go deep in this tournament? I don’t think so.
Positives and negatives in that Netherlands performance. There was parts of the Dutch performance that I really liked like Frenkie De Jong and Crysencio Summerville’s performances along with Ryan Gravenberch who set up both goals, then there’s parts I really didn’t like where they were moving the ball so slowly all game which let Japan get back in their shape easily which summed up the first half. On paper I really liked the Netherlands team before kick-off but some the performances were really poor for what you expect, the likes of Tijani Reijnders and Cody Gakpo have points to prove after poor seasons for their clubs but failed to make any sort of impact on the game and were both unsurprisingly substituted before the end. They do have a problem in goal as well with Verbruggen who should have saved that second Japan goal and the Brighton goalkeeper is someone I’ve never really been a fan off conceding goals which you wouldn’t expect from a goalkeeper starting for a top nation, I’d be starting Robin Roefs if I was Ronald Koeman but he’s not going to change his keeper after one game. It could cost the Dutch later on in the tournament.
What was Ronald Koeman thinking with them substitutions? I can’t help but feel like the Dutch shot themselves in the foot in the last 30 minutes with the changes Koeman made to try and see out the game, just 6 minutes after taking the lead he made three changes bringing on Depay for Malen, Koopmeiners for Summerville and Quienten Timber for Reijnders. The Reijnders one I can understand but bringing Depay on for Malen is lunacy even though Malen didn’t have the greatest game he was still a threat in behind that Depay obviously wasn’t when he came on, the worst one was subbing on Koopmeiners for Summerville when the West Ham man was by far the Netherland’s best attacker on the night and your subbing on a midfielder who’s been an absolute disaster for Juventus and only touched the ball 4 times in the 25 minutes he played tonight. Just when you think Koeman’s madness is finished he decides to sub Nathan Ake on for Ryan Gravenberch for the last 10 minutes just to hand control of the game over to Japan which eventually led to the equaliser, I cannot get my head around Koeman’s thinking other than he thought that the more defenders on the better which is absolutely crazy in my opinion and could have cost the Dutch even a point in the end. I hope Koeman learns for the rest of the tournament or there’s big trouble for the Dutch.
Still work to do for both teams in the group. This group is actually quite a tough one to call with Sweden and Tunisia playing later on tonight, you’d imagine Sweden beat Tunisia which would mean that if they beat either Japan or the Dutch that 1st or 2nd is definitely up for grabs which many wouldn’t have predicted before the tournament. With the new format a win against Tunisia for Japan and the Netherlands would almost certainly take them through on 4 points so that’ll be the aim along with trying to finish top of the group, who were you more impressed with tonight, Japan or the Netherlands?