Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman stood by his tactical decisions and substitutions after his side’s hopes of winning their World Cup opener were undone by a late Japan equalizer in a 2-2 draw on Sunday.
Goals from captain Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville either side of Keito Nakamura’s finish had twice put the Dutch in front, but a deflected strike from Daichi Kamada two minutes before full time ensured the points were shared.
Shortly after Summerville scored in the 64th minute, Koeman replaced the winger as part of a triple substitution and later shifted to a more defensive shape by introducing an extra centre-back in Nathan Aké.
However, the change backfired as Japan pushed forward, with Ogawa’s headed effort creating the chaos that led to Kamada’s deflected equaliser.
Koeman insisted he had no regrets, arguing that defensive mistakes, rather than his adjustments, cost his team.
“There was also a problem with pressure on the flanks. So if you look at the game, both goals, well, we didn't defend well,” he told reporters.
“Football is a funny game because, after Japan scored the second goal, they started defending as well.
“So we could have scored a third goal. So I don't regret my choices.”
Koeman had also confirmed a day earlier that Memphis Depay was fit enough to start following a recent thigh issue, but the Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer began on the bench and came on in the second half in place of the energetic Donyell Malen.
Depay was booked for a heavy challenge and struggled to influence the match.
The Netherlands, quarter-finalists at Qatar 2022, now have almost a week before their second Group F match against Sweden in Houston.
Koeman said his team performed at only a “minimal standard” against Japan and criticised suggestions that their opponents were being underestimated by the media.
“Of course, we can perform better and we need to grow during the tournament,” he said.
“This definitely was not our best performance.
“Of course, we would have preferred to win the first game. We expected to.”
