Official lineups of Japan - Netherlands
Japan: Suzuki - Taniguchi, Watanabe, H.Ito - Doan, Kamada, Sano, Nakamura - Maeda, Kubo - Ueda
Netherlands: Verbruggen - Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven -Frenkie De Jong, Gravenberch - Summerville, Reijnders, Gakpo - Malen
And that's a wrap
What an incredible finish for the Group of Death opener!
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Japanese supporters roar!!
The Samurai Blue faithful are giving everything in the closing moments!
6 minutes of added time
Gooooooooallll
Koki Ogawa's corner found Daichi Kamada!
Depay cautioned
Forced change for Japan
Kubo is unable to continue due to injury and is replaced by Ogawa
Japan inject fresh legs
Maeda is replaced by Ito as Advocaat looks to spark his team's attack. Japan pushing for an equalizer.
Netherlands make triple change
Koeman freshens up his side with 3 substitutions. Reijnders makes way for Timber, Summerville is replaced by Koopmeiners, and Depay comes on for Malen.
Floodgates open
What a contrast to the first 45 minutes. Both teams have finally opened up and the football has become genuinely entertaining!
Time for another cooling break
Goooooooallll
Crysencio Summerville puts Oranje back in front.
Summerville cautioned
The Dutch winger gets a yellow for a heavy challenge.
Nakamuuuuuuuurraaaaaaaaaa
Japan strike back! Keito Nakamura restores parity.
Gooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaallllll
Virgil van Dijk shows his captain's mettle with a clinical header from close range. Gravenberch's superb cross finds the Dutch skipper, who makes no mistake at the far post.
Second half underway
Earlier today
Half-time
Dangerous corner for Oranje
Japan's goalie proving decisive
- What a save!
- Japan impose themselves
- Japanese wall
- Dumfries missed opportunity
- Suzuki stands strong
- Ueda inches away
- Gooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaallllll
- Nakamuuuuuuuurraaaaaaaaaa
- Goooooooallll
- Gooooooooallll
Japan have been in exceptional form heading into the tournament, stringing together five straight wins to arrive as genuine contenders. Their attacking fluidity and defensive organisation have earned them respect among European heavyweights. The Netherlands, meanwhile, face questions about consistency after a more turbulent qualification campaign. Yet they remain a team capable of producing moments of class when it matters most.
With Sweden and Tunisia rounding out a genuinely competitive group, there are no gimmes. The winner of Netherlands-Japan could take a significant step toward the knockout stages, while a defeat leaves little room for error. Both sides know the stakes and this is a match that could define their entire tournament.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
