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2 hours ago
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Key events
GOAL! Netherlands 2-1 Japan (Summerville 64)
A fortnight ago, Crysencio Summerville was uncapped; now he has a World Cup goal!
63 min A replay shows that Nakamura’s shot brushed the outstretched leg of Van Hecke rathern than Maeda, who was trying to jump out of the way. As the original shot was on target, it’s Nakamura’s goal.
61 min Summerville trips Watanage and is booked.
The goal came out of nothing. Japan worked the ball patiently on the left until the wing-back Nakamura, who had wandered into a central position, turned suddenly and whistled a low shot from the edge of the area with a his right foot. It took a nick off either Maeda or Van Hecke and gave Verbruggen no chance.
There’s a check for offside but Maeda was being played on by the defender on the far side, Van de Ven I think.
GOAL! Netherlands 1-1 Japan (Nakamura 57)
Japan are level!
56 min The refcam shows that Van Dijk eased Watanabe out of the way to create space for his header. Canny stuff because there was nowhere near enough contact for a foul.
54 min Summerville runs onto a clipped ball over the top, keeps it in at the byline and pushes a low cross towards Malen that is cleared.
Netherlands are well on top in the second half.
A poor free-kick from Reijnders was headed away at the near post. The loose ball was worked out to the right wing, where Gravenberch took a touch and whipped a belting cross towards the far post. Van Dijk found space, as he does so often in these situations, and planted an accomplished header back across Suzuki. It was perfectly placed and swerved just inside the post. Liverpool strike first in Texas.
GOAL! Netherlands 1-0 Japan (Van Dijk 51)
Virgil van Dijk heads the Netherlands in front!
49 min “Every bit the cagey affair you’d expect from two sides planning a deep run in this marathon of a tournament’ is my wholly unsolicited, soundbite-friendly take on this match,” writes Grant Tennille. “But a goal would be nice.”
48 min Gravenberch gets round the back, on the right, and wallops an inviting cross that flashes past everyone in the six-yard box.
47 min “Currently in Atlanta, ahead of attending tomorrow’s Clash of the Titans between Spain and Cape Verde, and having a ‘hydration break’ in a lovely bar, watching this with my son (who is finally of age), and enjoying your adequate commentary,” chirps Mac Millings. “If Cape Verde can give us anything.l like the brief thrill that Curaçao did today, the 10-hour round trip, 4 expensive tickets, hotel room, and $23 stadium beer will have been well worth it.
“Is what I’ll be telling a sceptical Mrs. Millings.”
46 min No half-time changes on either side.
Half-time reading
Half time: Netherlands 0-0 Japan
To save time over the next few weeks, can we coin the abbrevation ‘nag’ for games that need a goal?
With that in mind, our half-time analysis comes from James ‘JD’ Dean.
45+3 min Another outswinging corner from Reijnders is headed towards goal by Malen and saved comfortably by Suzuki. A decent effort from Malen.
45+2 min “Not entirely sure I’m with you on the quality of the game here Rob,” says Graeme Neill. “I was too young to remember the 1988 side but this Dutch team is a shadow of the 1998 through to 2014 sides (aside from the team that didn’t qualify for Japan/South Korea). So ponderous and turgid.
“However, decades of disappointment and underachieving aside, the Dutch did inspire David Winner’s Brilliant Orange, one of the finest books about football.”
I should stress that my view on the quality of the game is a work in progress. I do think it’s been pretty good though – lots of neat passing and manipulation of space, just not the dazzling quality to which you referred.
45+1 min Three minutes of added time.
45 min: Another chance for Japan Ueda pulls between Van Dijk and Van de Ven to receive angled pass into the area. He allows the ball to bounce past his body, onto the right foot, but then lashes a shot into the side netting. A decent chance, even if the angle was tight.
43 min: Chance for Japan! Doan’s cross from the right is misjudged by the leaping Summerville and reaches Nakamura beyond the far post. He controls the ball deftly and drags a right-foot shot just wide; Verbruggen had it covered.
42 min Maeda, who looks full of the joys every time he gets the ball, accelerates a Japan break with a nice spin and pass out to Nakamura. Alas, Nakamura’s cross goes out of play.
40 min Japan started confidently in possession, but the Netherlands have dominated since Strathmore O’Clock. There’s still a pronounced slow-slow-getitinthefakkinmixer-quick rhythm to the game.
38 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I’m really hoping this might be the World Cup tournament where a team like the Netherlands, or Portugal, or Japan, or Morocco, or Norway, or Ecuador, or USA, or Scotland, makes a breakthrough and maybe even wins the trophy. It’d make a nice change from the usual suspects if nothing else. Though I suspect any of the aforementioned teams will likely end up being the Hearts to Spain or France’s Celtic.”
It does tend to happen once a generation, or rather it has since the inevitable early rush of first-time winners: 1930, 1934, 1954, 1958, 1966, 1978, 1998, 2010, 2026 YA DANCER.
36 min A booming free-kick from Reijnders is knocked back across goal, possibly by a Japan defender, and drilled over on the stretch by Gakpo. Tough chance.
34 min Reijnders cracks an outswinging corner from the right that is met by Malen on the six-yard line. His powerful downward header is spooned away by Suzuki, who is relieved to see a defender – rather than a Netherlands forward – get to the loose ball first.
That was a good effort from Malen, who had to scrap with two defenders just to get to the ball.
32 min Netherlands are having a good spell, perhaps their best of the game so far. It’s a match of few chances but the quality has been high.
31 min “Being in Dallas, it is appropriate that the referee is continuing with the big shoulder pads fashion of WC26,” says Andy Gordon. “Any idea what they are packing in there?”
Is it Oliver Stone’s 400-page treatise on who really shot JR?
30 min Gakpo cuts inside and angles a cross towards Dumfries at the far post. It’s slightly overhit, which means Dumfries can do nothing except head the ball over the bar from an impossible angle.
29 min Van de Ven turns on the afterburners, charging into the area on the left and delivering a low cross that is well cleared.
28 min Doan’s fast low cross from the right is laid off crisply by Maeda to Nakamura on the edge of the area. He wants to shoot but can’t find enough space, thanks mainly to Dumfries’s excellent positioning, so instead lays the ball back to the onrushing Sano. He drills a first-time shot over the bar; another moment of opportunity goes up in smoke.
26 min Football’s back, baby.
