Netherlands 2, Japan 2: Kamada Snags Last-Minute Equalizer with Unusual Header Following Summerville's Stunning Goal

DARK HORSES is how most described Holland and Japan ahead of kick-off.

It was fitting, then, that they met in Dallas – the city of cowboys and culture – where weekly rodeos reign supreme, and you’d look more out of place in a Tesla than on horseback.

The Netherlands were pegged back late on by Japan Credit: Getty Virgil van Dijk sparked an entertaining second half with his header Credit: AFP Crysencio Summerville thought he had found a brilliant winner Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Japan hit back twice Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

It was equally fitting that Virgil van Dijk, built like a stallion and sporting his trademark ponytail, scored the crucial opener in one of the games of the tournament so far – a 2-2 draw at the AT&T stadium.

The game had Premier League quality rubber-stamped all over it, with both Dutch scorers and eventual Japanese saviour Daichi Kamada coming from the Prem.

The Oranje army flooded Dallas by 10am, five hours before kick-off.

Outside the AT&T Stadium, the pre-game march looked less like a football crowd and more like a Just Stop Oil protest had blanketed the grounds in fluorescent paint.

Orange was inescapable.

Fans paraded in vintage shirts honouring past icons – Ruud Gullit, Dennis Bergkamp, Marco Van Basten, and Robin Van Persie – heroes who, despite their brilliance, never managed to lift the trophy.

Those classic shirts were mixed with Nike’s latest rendition, where Liverpool legend van Dijk reigned as the fans’ clear favourite.

Despite this tournament’s persistent ticketing issues, hardly a seat was empty by kick-off.

In contrast to the Dutch wall of orange, Japan’s Samurai Blue supporters were far less intimidating than their moniker suggests.

On the other side, the ultras sang cheery chants and pounded a heavy drum throughout, and on the pitch, they have a hell of a team to back.

Donyell Malen was the Dutchmen’s primary weapon in the first half, and went quiet in the second.

The former Aston Villa man has been in blistering form since leaving the Midlands, spending the second half of the season on loan at Roma.

There, he bagged 14 goals in 19 appearances, breaking Mario Balotelli’s Serie A record for the most goals scored by a January signing.

Malen served an early warning with a brilliant swivel and shot in the box, which was smartly palmed away by Japan keeper Zion Suzuki.

That was the only decent chance before a 26th-minute hydration break that, frankly, competed with the football for entertainment value.

It was impossible to miss the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on the stadium’s colossal high-definition screen.

Measuring 160 feet wide and 72 feet tall, the screen treated fans to the sight of 65-foot-tall women performing at the highest level – a spectacle both entertaining and intimidating.

Holland continued to stretch Japan before the break, with Malen forcing another sharp save from Suzuki with his head.

While Europe held the physical advantage in the box, the Japanese defence largely stood firm.

At the other end, Keito Nakamura acted as an outlet on the left for Japan’s counter-attack – the same tactic they used to stun Thomas Tuchel’s England at Wembley months ago.

However, Nakamura’s lone first-half effort sailed well over the crossbar, while a volleyed effort from Ayase Ueda flashed just wide of the post.

Still, those flashes gave the relentless Japanese fans hope of topping a brutal group at half-time, in a game that had been competitive, if not a little quiet.

That hope took a massive blow early in the second half, when Van Dijk expertly dispatched a header off the post and into the net, courtesy of a Ryan Gravenberch assist – a sequence made all the sweeter for watching Liverpool fans.

Yet, Japan’s trademark resilience quickly surfaced.

Nakamura personified that never-say-die attitude with a brilliant equaliser.

The Reims standout, who had looked so dangerous against England, cut onto his right foot and fired a low drive past Brighton stopper Bart Verbruggen.

Crysencio Summerville thought he had the final say.

Just 11 days ago, he had never played a minute for his country.

A stunning, long-range strike off his left foot on his debut saw him become the first player to see his first international goal come at the World Cup since Daley Blind against Brazil in 2014.

Crystal Palace man Kamada had the last laugh, with a last-gasp winner he didn’t seem to know all that much about.

A late Junya Ito corner was headed goalwards by Koki Ogawa, before hitting Kamada and sailing into the top corner.

A draw was fitting, for a beautifully contested game between two brilliant teams and sets of supporters, both of whom could ride deep into the tournament as they lived up to their dark horse tags.