Key events
Germany are cruising to victory over Curacao in today’s first game. But whatever the score, the match will be remembered for the greatest moment of Livano Comenencia’s career.
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! Germany 1-1 Curacao (Comenencia 21)
Do not adjust your screen! This is actually happening! And you know what? It’s almost been coming! Again, Curacao attack, slipping a pass into the box, and when the ball breaks to Locadia, he shoots, the effort blocked, but Comenencia arrives on to it, his shot flicks off a Kimmich, the deflection taking it over Neuer’s hands, and CURACAO HAVE LEVELLED IT AGAINST GERMANY! THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT, AND IMAGINE THE SOUTH CARIBBEAN RIGHT ABOUT NOW!
Team guide: Japan
By Takashi Ogami
Japan are no longer at a stage where speaking openly about “winning the World Cup” invites ridicule. Their historic victories over Germany and Spain in 2022 proved that they are capable of producing much more than just a one-off upset. Over nearly eight years in charge the head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has built a side capable not merely of surviving against the world’s elite, but of defeating them too. This was backed up by wins against Brazil in October and England – at Wembley – in March.
The expected system is a 3-4-2-1, though Japan also experimented with a 3-1-4-2 against England, suggesting tactical flexibility depending on the oppostion. Pressing aggressively from the top is important, with players such as Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan, Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito all excellent at putting pressure on opponents.
Hopes are high back home, though, and the former Japan coach Akira Nishino, who led the side at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, says of the current squad: “It’s not about individuals acting like egoists. This group of players fight together and within that unity, individuality emerges. There is a strength in these ‘Japanised’ individuals.”
This team genuinely believe they can win the World Cup.
Team guide: Netherlands
By Marcel van der Kraan
Has Ronald Koeman ever started a major tournament with more headaches? Probably not. He is known as an exceptionally ambitious perfectionist, which means the preparation for this World Cup has been the most troublesome of all his years as the national-team head coach.
Injuries are part and parcel of the game but it becomes a real problem when, in the run-up to a major tournament, around half the starting XI is either ruled out completely or sidelined for months. In the spring Koeman said he would only take players who were fully fit and playing regularly, but that stance became difficult to maintain.
Tottenham’s Xavi Simons suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April and won’t be back until next year. The PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten is also recovering from the same injury. Matthijs de Ligt, who has often partnered Virgil van Dijk in central defence, has not regained full fitness after a back problem.
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong missed most of the season, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries was out for four months. Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Aké were often on the bench while Memphis Depay sustained a serious hamstring injury at the end of his season in Brazil.
Preamble
Hello, how do you do and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Netherlands v Japan in Texas. This is one of the most enticing games of the group stage, a cruiserweight contest between two teams who are desperate to break new ground at the World Cup.
The Netherlands are probably the best team never to win the World Cup and definitely the only team to lose three finals without winning one. Japan are surely the best team never to reach the quarter-finals.
They look in good shape to right that particular wrong. Since completing their qualification campaign a year ago, Japan won have nine of their 12 games, including first ever victories over Brazil and England. Now they’re hunting a first win over the Netherlands.
If Japan are the hipster’s choice at this World Cup, then the Netherlands continue to go under the radar. The squad doesn’t have the same stardust as more famous Dutch teams, but their recent record is strong. They lost to the eventual winners Argentina in the quarter-final of the last World Cup and went toe-to-toe with England before losing a dramatic Euro 2024 semi-final.
This is a tricky group, which also includes Sweden and Tunisia, so a draw tonight would be a decent result for Netherlands and Japan. Let’s hope they’re not thinking that way.
Kick off 3pm local/4pm EDT/9pm BST.
Leave a Reply