Japan twice pegged the Netherlands back to ensure the Group F opener ended with the spoils shared.
It was the proverbial game of two halves: a cagey, underwhelming contest that failed to live up to its pre-match billing before the interval, but one that gave way to a more entertaining affair after the break. All four goals came in the second half.
Here are our Scout Notes from the game, featuring match stats from our World Cup Toolkit page.
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THE NETHERLANDS 2-2 JAPAN
- Goals: van Dijk, Summerville | Nakamura, Kamada
- Assists: Gravenberch x2 | Kubo, Ogawa
- Shot on target bonus:Â Malen
- Tackle bonus: de Jong | Kamada
- Top points scorers: Kamada (11), Gravenberch (10), Nakamura (10), Summerville (9), van Dijk (8), Kubo (7)
TEAM STATS
PLAYER STATS
SCOUT NOTES
- A draw felt about right, with the two nations finishing on 10 shots apiece. Netherlands had the clear edge on xG (1.04-0.49) and possession (60%), however, with all 10 of their efforts coming from inside the opposition box.
- Donyell Malen ($6.1m) led the line for the Dutch, coming the closest to scoring out of anyone in the first half. He forced an excellent save out of Zion Suzuki ($4.3m) with a shot before heading straight at the Japan ‘keeper from close range. The spectre of Memphis Depay ($7.4m) looms large, however. Depay, who has had an injury-affected campaign, replaced Malen with 20 minutes to go, and with each appearance (he also came on as a substitute in a pre-tournament friendly), he’s edging closer to the starting XI.
- Ronald Koeman could redeploy Malen on the right, of course, but Crysencio Summerville ($5.3m) is doing what he can to nail down that role. The West Ham United winger was uncapped at the start of this month but featured in the Netherlands’ final two warm-up matches and got the nod on Sunday, curling in an excellent effort to restore his country’s lead at 2-1. A Sweden side still without a clean sheet under Graham Potter could give him further opportunities.
- On the opposite flank, Cody Gakpo ($7.7m) found himself double-marked and struggled for space. He did test Suzuki with one second-half effort, though.
- Ryan Gravenberch ($6.1m) plays in a more advanced role for his national team than he does with Liverpool, with Frenkie de Jong ($7.0m) – who collected tackle bonus – the ‘six’ for Koeman’s side. Nevertheless, his two assists did come from deep: a cross from a recycled set piece and short, simple pass to Summerville, who did the rest with his curling effort.
- Japan did look vulnerable to set pieces, with five of the Netherlands’ 10 efforts coming from dead-ball situations. Virgil van Dijk ($5.5m) exploited that with his header from Gravenberch’s cross, while the other two ‘Vans’ at the back also had set-piece chances. Tijjani Reijnders ($6.5m) was on corner-taking duties for the Dutch.
- We didn’t see the attacking best of Denzel Dumfries ($5.7m) but the right-back did create a couple of chances, and he’ll likely get more freedom in the next two Rounds to come.
- While the attack-minded Ritsu Doan ($5.1m) being classified as a defender has rightly drawn him to the attention of Fantasy managers, it was Japan’s other wing-back, Keito Nakamura ($5.5m), who caught the eye. Off-puttingly listed as a midfielder in World Cup Fantasy, so he gets one point for a clean sheet instead of four, Nakamura nevertheless produced a double-digit haul thanks to his goal and two Scouting Bonus points. Yes, his equaliser at 1-1 was deflected, but he had come close to scoring in the first half when shooting narrowly wide, and no one in Samurai Blue had as many shots (three). He also teed up a chance in the first half.
- We didn’t see too much of key attackers Ayase Ueda ($7.0m) and Takefusa Kubo ($7.0m), although the former did peel beautifully off the Dutch defence to lash a first-half chance narrowly wide. Kubo was reduced to a shot from distance and, worryingly, hobbled off with a knee injury. He was later sighted in a wheelchair, and that came after his manager had given the following quote:
“As for Takefusa Kubo, I haven’t yet received a detailed report from the medical staff, but I saw him walking on his own earlier, so I hope it’s something minor, if possible.” – Hajime Moriyasu, via Futbol Fantasy
