Group F’s opening fixture lived up to its billing as a potential group of death. The Netherlands twice took the lead in the second half, but Japan pegged them back on both occasions — the last through Koki Ogawa’s header, which deflected in off Daichi Kamada to seal a 2-2 draw in Arlington.
While the late drama grabbed the spotlight, former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou — on pundit duty for ITV — zeroed in on Japan’s first goal. He criticised Micky van de Ven for failing to hold his defensive line when Keito Nakamura struck in the 57th minute, allowing Daizen Maeda to remain onside and the goal to stand.
“The Dutch defence comes out, but Van de Ven stays in,” Postecoglou explained. “As the ball comes out, the rest of the back four moves forward — he doesn’t, and that allows Japan to get back into the game.”
Despite previously calling Van de Ven an “elite” player, Postecoglou did not soften his assessment of the lapse.
Bergvall Shines as Sweden Storm Top of Group
Elsewhere in Group F, fellow Spurs man Lucas Bergvall helped Sweden thrash Tunisia 5-1 in Monterrey. Coming off the bench in the 65th minute, Bergvall registered an assist and earned a WhoScored rating of 6.8 — a bright cameo as Sweden announced themselves as a serious force in the group.
