'Samurai Blue Style': Japan Fans Praise Never-Give-Up Attitude After Dramatic World Cup Draw

Japan's World Cup campaign received a significant boost as fans celebrated a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, a result that saw the team come from behind twice. The resilience displayed resonated deeply with supporters, who lauded the "never giving up" attitude as the quintessential "Samurai Blue style."

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These guys showed a lot of character, we played with a lot of passion. It was an exciting game to watch.

Supporters like Keigo Kameya expressed excitement after the match, noting the team's character and passion. "It was an exciting game to watch," Kameya told CNA, adding, "I'm excited for the other games." Another fan, Myu Morihara, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the team's fighting spirit.

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Never giving up, that’s the Samurai Blue style.

The match itself was a rollercoaster. After the Netherlands took the lead in the 51st minute through Virgil van Dijk, Japan quickly equalized with a strike from Keito Nakamura. The Dutch regained the lead in the 64th minute via Crysencio Summerville, only for Japan to find a late equalizer in the 89th minute, with Daichi Kamada deflecting Koki Ogawa's header into the net.

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Netherlands was really good, especially in the beginning. We were very scared (when they scored).

Despite facing challenges such as key player injuries, including Brighton midfielder Kaoru Mitoma and captain Wataru Endo, and issues with training pitch conditions in Mexico, Japan's performance against the Netherlands has put them in a strong position. A win in their upcoming matches against Tunisia or Sweden should secure their progression to the next round of the tournament.

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Netherlands is a really tall team … and we scored from a corner kick - it’s kind of like the evolution of Japan.