World Cup
Netherlands draw 2-2 with Japan after tactical swaps
Netherlands drew 2-2 with Japan at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas during the World Cup. Ronald Koeman made early substitutions after taking a 2-1 lead, which altered the match dynamics.
The Dutch side, ranked eighth by FIFA, held 70% possession against Japan, ranked 18th. The opening phase featured a 4-3-3 formation when the Netherlands controlled the ball.
Koeman replaced Crysencio Summerville with Teun Koopmeiners and Donyell Malen with Memphis Depay. He later introduced Quinten Timber for Tijjani Reijnders, Nathan Aké for Ryan Gravenberch, and Brian Brobbey for Cody Gakpo, creating a 5-3-2 shape. The substitutions removed forward speed and saw possession drop to 27% for the Netherlands while Japan rose to 73%.
Jan Paul van Hecke injured in Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Japan
Koeman said, "I switched because I saw we were struggling," after Japan equalised in the 64th minute. Analysts Pierre van Hooijdonk and Rafael van der Vaart observed that the defensive midfielders could retain the ball but failed to press Japan's full‑backs, allowing the opposition to dominate. Frenkie de Jong, Ryan Gravenberch, Virgil van Dijk and Jan Paul van Hecke each earned praise for their performances. Ryan Gravenberch, a Liverpool midfielder, contributed in midfield. The Netherlands' next World Cup match is against Sweden in Houston at 19:00 Dutch time.