Daichi Kamada's 88th-minute header secured a dramatic 2-2 draw for Japan against the Netherlands in their World Cup opener, sending Samurai Blue fans into raptures at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The late equalizer came after a frantic second half that saw both teams trade goals in quick succession.

Virgil van Dijk opened scoring in the 50th minute with his 13th international goal, heading home from inside the penalty area. Japan's Keito Nakamura responded seven minutes later, finishing crisply from the left side of the arc. Crysencio Summerville restored Dutch advantage in the 64th minute, but Kamada's perfectly-timed header off Koki Ogawa's corner found the net despite Bart Verbruggen's desperate dive.

The result extended Netherlands' unbeaten run in group play to 16 games, improving their World Cup group record to 21-2-11. However, the late collapse will raise questions about Oranje's defensive resilience. Japan's resilience showed they can compete with higher-ranked opponents, with the 18th-ranked side proving their mettle.

Both teams now turn to Saturday's fixtures: Netherlands face Sweden in Houston while Japan travel to Monterrey to meet Tunisia. The draw keeps Japan's hopes alive while Netherlands need to regroup quickly.