World Cup: Ogawa discusses dramatic equalizer against Netherlands

Japan salvaged a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, with a late equalizer that took a deflection off Daichi Kamada. Substitute Koki Ogawa headed the ball towards the Dutch goal from a corner kick in the final stages of the game, but it struck Kamada before finding the net.

Despite the goal not being officially credited to him, Ogawa highlighted the collective achievement. "Whether it was me or Daichi Kamada, this is one point we earned together," he stated. He explained that the Dutch defense was not tightly marking him, and recalling previous assists from Junya Ito, he had a good sense of where the pass would land. "That ball was delivered perfectly," he added.

Ogawa emphasized the significant impact of securing a draw. "Losing and drawing are completely different outcomes," he said. "I think this goal has given the entire team more confidence and momentum." Japan's next group stage match is against Tunisia.

Looking ahead, Ogawa stressed that the team cannot be content with just playing well. "The more important thing is to convert that performance into victory," he urged. He hopes to score in the next match to help the team secure three points and build a stronger foundation for advancing to the knockout stage.

Teammate Daichi Kamada echoed the sentiment, noting that achieving at least one point, as was the initial goal, was a positive outcome despite a difficult match. He believes the team's preparations were evident in their performance.