Van Dijk reflects on 2-2 draw with Japan

Virgil van Dijk, the Liverpool defender, said he looked back on the 2-2 draw with Japan in Dallas with mixed feelings. He noted that the Netherlands had been surprised by the late equaliser after taking the lead.

Van Dijk recalled that Crysencio Summerville had put the Netherlands ahead in the second half, a lead he himself had helped create for the 1-0 advantage. He warned that Japan could become dangerous on the counter or from set pieces, and lamented that the conceding goal came from a restart.

Ryan Gravenberch observed that the Dutch side looked unsettled early, but the second half opened spaces for him and Tijjani Reijnders. He added that the team showed positive moments despite preferring a win, and that their focus now turns to the World Cup group match against Sweden on 20 June, with kickoff at 19:00.