Japan justify dark horse credentials with dramatic...

Article excerpt

Japan's Daichi Kamada scored in the 88th minute to steal a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, rescuing what looked like a certain defeat. The Dutch had built a two-goal lead but couldn't hold it, allowing the Japanese to equalize late and extend their unbeaten run. The result keeps Japan's dark-horse credentials alive in their pursuit of a deep World Cup run, while the Netherlands squanders a chance to put away a qualifier decisively.