Amid a backdrop of multiple injuries and other unfortunate incidents, like the inadequate facilities at the Mexico preparation camp, Japan headed to Dallas for their opening match against the Netherlands amid a cloud of uncertainty.
The attack that had given the team the cutting edge that paired so well with their defensive solidity had been blunted with the pre-tournament confirmation that neither Takumi Minamino or Kaoru Mitoma would participate in the World Cup. Furthermore, captain Wataru Endo suddenly dropped out days before the game as his injury issues persisted to a point where it was clear he wouldn’t be able to participate at 100 percent capacity.
Even still, with the involvement of Maya Yoshida and Takumi Minamino as support “mentor” figures, along with the effervescent presence of five-time World Cup participant Yuto Nagatomo, the players themselves seemed to be in good spirits throughout training in the lead-up to the big game.
It was a cagey opening as Japan defended in a mid-to-low block and allowed the Netherlands to hold the ball. Donyell Malen had a dangerous shot in the first few minutes but Zion Suzuki’s big save was an important morale booster as the defence continued to hold firm.
Japan had a few chances themselves through Keito Nakamura and Ayase Ueda, both hitting the side-netting but there was a feeling that Japan could’ve done a bit more in possession. There were certainly moments where Japan had opportunities to push forward a bit more but it was squandered by indecision or dawdling on the ball.
Cody Gakpo was a big threat, but Ritsu Doan sacrificed a lot of his energy defending on the right flank, backed up by Takefusa Kubo which allowed Japan’s central defenders to remain central and keep a numerical advantage inside their own box. All across the pitch it was a real coordinated team effort; the outcome of all the hard work done throughout the past two years since Japan switched to a back-three system. With the score at 0-0 both teams went into half time with mixed feelings.
Unfortunately for Japan, the second half started disastrously as, after clearing a corner kick, the team didn’t push their lines up quickly enough and Ryan Gravenberch had the space to send in an exquisite cross for Virgil van Dijk to direct an unstoppable header into the far corner.
There was a feeling of dread across the Japanese faithful, especially as it mirrored closely the goal that Ivan Perisic had scored for Croatia back in 2022.
However, this group showed how different they are from past tournaments as Keito Nakamura scored a lovely goal after cutting in off the dribble just seven minutes later.
However, the Netherlands answered back with another exquisite goal, breaking down Japan’s block through Ryan Gravenberch’s dribbling to set up Crysencio Summerville’s curling finish. Things looked bleak, but Japan yet again showed a mental resilience not often seen before as Moriyasu went on the offensive.
His substitutions late in the second half completely changed the momentum in Japan’s favour. A sharp contrast to the changes made by his counterpart Ronald Koeman, whose substitutions only ended up ceding ground to a resurgent Japanese attack. Junya Ito and Yukinari Sugawara burst down the right wing (with fellow substitute Takehiro Tomiyasu in charge of covering behind them) and Japan continued to ask questions of a Netherlands team with its back increasingly to their own goal.
Throughout the game, it was quite interesting to me how cautious the Netherlands were in the way they played. The Dutch clearly didn’t want to commit too many men forward as they didn’t want to provide the spaces that Japan would feast upon. I think this game was representative of the newfound respect that many countries, even the top sides, now have for Japan’s blistering counterattacking prowess and technical play.
For all the pre-match talk, stereotypes about height and set-pieces, the equalising goal came from a Japanese corner kick after a lot of concerted pressure on the Dutch goal. Using prepared routines, Daichi Kamada, among others, bumped and disrupted the Netherlands’ defenders to allow Koki Ogawa a free header which deflected slightly off Kamada’s head to skip past Bart Verbruggen’s outstretched hands.
In a post-match interview, Takehiro Tomiyasu noted how after the equalising goal the team decided to be “realistic” and hold out for the draw rather than go all out for a win.
While that may upset a certain section of the Japanese support (both domestic and foreign), given it was the first match against an elite opponent in a tough group, I think it did make sense to not throw too much caution to the wind and possibly wind up with zero points after all that hard work. It’s also a sign of the rising expectations by fans from Japan and other countries alike that the Samurai Blue are seen as regular ‘giant killers’.
With Wataru Endo’s kit hanging from the bench during the game as a tribute to his leadership, and the respect that the team hold for him, Japan played another elite European side in a hard fought battle. Despite Ko Itakura being named the new captain, it was Ritsu Doan who led the team out on the day.
In the post-match interview, the attacker discussed the captain’s armband and how happy and humbled he is that he was able to lead the team surrounded by former captains Maya Yoshida (as a support member) and Makoto Hasebe (part of the coaching staff) among other historic figures of the Japan national team. Doan also noted how the team put everything on the line and being able to grab a point in the first match was a big feat.
While there are still some concerns about certain aspects of the performance, the result bodes well as Japan have advanced to the next round in each tournament in which they did not lose their first match.
Tough opponents in Tunisia and Sweden remain but this hard fought point amid various background struggles should be a spring board for a long awaited victory and knock out stage progression at this World Cup.
