The Dutch let slip a victory in the opening game: Japan strikes after a great Summerville goal in the final phase | Sport

Crysencio Summerville seemed to give the Dutch team a golden start at the World Cup. The West Ham United attacker shot the Dutch team to 2-1 in Dallas in the first match in group F. But the Japanese Daichi Kamada still gave the Dutch team a hangover: 2-2.

The loot appeared to be inside. But Daichi Kamada spoiled the Dutch party at the last minute with a header. The 2-2 still offers plenty of perspective for the coming matches, but the fact that the Dutch team lost a deficit twice is worrying.

And while Summerville seemed to become the big hero. As national coach, Ronald Koeman is not fond of changes. The coach sticks to his core and whoever does penetrate the bastion of the Dutch team often has to make do with a supporting role.

But he made an exception for Summerville. Even when the West Ham United striker was unable to make his debut due to injuries in March and was subsequently relegated from the Premier League with his team, Koeman did not hesitate.

The youngster was called up, given the confidence on the right side, while the 24-year-old attacker plays on the left side for his club. And in his third international match, the former player of Feyenoord, ADO Den Haag and FC Dordrecht was suddenly on his way to the arms of Ruud van Nistelrooij. He had visited him in London earlier this season and told him that there was a good chance that he would play in the World Cup. That was necessary, because Suriname was also looking for the attacker’s employability.

Watch Summerville’s goal here.

Summerville’s goal freed the Dutch team in Dallas. Virgil van Dijk’s 1-0, which could be called deserved, quickly disappeared like snow in the sun when Keito Nakamura was able to shoot the equalizer behind Bart Verbruggen. And so the Orange came again. After Summerville’s 2-1, this time it was Kamada who struck. And that meant a hangover at the start of the World Cup, although a point in this tournament is a result with perspective.

What was the key for the Dutch team in the first game?

Patience had to be shown. In Dallas there was a nasty scenario lurking that the Dutch would fall into Japan’s trap. National coach Hajime Moriyasu thought that the Dutch national team would make the same mistake as England did in March at their own Wembley. If the opening goal were to wait, the Dutch might make mistakes in the haste to open the score.

After rest came the reward that was missing before the break. Ryan Gravenberch was the announcer, captain Virgil van Dijk headed beautifully through the inside of the post. It should have changed everything. Japan had to give away space that the fast attackers of the Netherlands so desperately needed. But Japan quickly got back into the game. Keito Nakamura, once a player for FC Twente, was given too much time and space by Gravenberch and scored: 1-1.

Will it continue to be about the striker position?

Donyell Malen scored continuously at AS Roma, but in the practice matches against Algeria and Uzbekistan, the Dutch striker’s sharpness faltered considerably. Against the defending Japanese, Malen had two opportunities before halftime. Shortly after the start he fired an excellent shot, but goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was at his post. A little later a header followed, sandwiched between two Japanese, which was again prey for the Parma goalkeeper.

With a little more sharpness against Algeria and Uzbekistan and a little more luck against Japan, the discussion would already have been off the table. Now Memphis Depay, Brian Brobbey and perhaps even pinch hitter Wout Weghorst sense their opportunity and believe that the battle at the front is still completely open.

Malen disappeared halfway through the second half, Memphis Depay was his replacement. Tijjani Reijders and Summerville also disappeared, Quinten Timber and Teun Koopmeiners were the new names.

Have we in the Netherlands overestimated Japan in the run-up to the World Cup?

It just depends on how you look at it. In Dallas we saw Japan as we almost always see playing against strong football countries. The Dutch team got the ball and Japan withdrew. The axis of the field was expertly protected and the battle plan was clear: wait for that one moment to conquer the ball and then counter quickly.

In that respect, the Dutch team was on their toes, as little or nothing was given away. In the run-up to the World Cup, Japan already struck England and Scotland with this transitional football. The Japanese’s ball possession percentage was also shockingly low in those matches, just like in Dallas, where the team had only 31 percent of the ball before halftime.

On the other hand, Japan itself gives few opportunities away. Frenkie de Jong was completely shielded and if the Barcelona player is not in control, the Dutch team is often searching. This resulted in only three chances for the Dutch team before the break. Japan itself saw Keito Nakamura and Ayase Ueda’s counter-punch ends wide of Bart Verbruggen’s goal. After the break the team was effective: the first chance was immediately scored: 1-1.