Japan coach Moriyasu hails tenacious fightback against Netherlands in 2-2 draw

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/ULXPdOUj/"]Japan[/a] defended resolutely in the first ‌half to frustrate the Dutch and launched a few ‌attacks of their own before the match in Texas turned into ‌an end-to-end thriller, with three goals in the space of ‌13 minutes before the Blue Samurai levelled two minutes from time.[/p][p][b]"The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/netherlands/WYintcWb/"]Netherlands[/a] were very strong, we were trailing behind, a very difficult opponent, the ‌players were united as one, tenacious, they ⁠fought to the end ‌and did not cease to persevere," Moriyasu told a press conference.[/b][/p][p][b]"Of course, ​we're not completely satisfied with just the one point for the draw."[/b][/p][h2]Tenacity the key[/h2][p]The Dutch went ahead ​six minutes after the break when captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-dijk-virgil/U59RNqOr/"]Virgil van Dijk[/a] broke free of his marker to head home a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gravenberch-ryan/Y5aFd8V4/"]Ryan ⁠Gravenberch[/a] cross, but Japan levelled ​soon after when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nakamura-keito/ttEUhyfq/"]Keito Nakamura[/a] fired in a fierce low shot.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/summerville-crysencio/EaRET7t6/"]Crysencio Summerville[/a] replied for the Netherlands with a brilliant strike in off the far post, before a succession of chances at both ‌ends led to substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ogawa-koki/0xFkEenH/"]Koki Ogawa[/a] equalising with a neat header that found the net off teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kamada-daichi/bayITLyE/"]Daichi Kamada[/a].[/p][image alt="Netherlands - Japan match momentum" id="d0bd70dc-b0cc-4f63-be77-32ea96ef3b24" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="e2420419-7be3-4851-9d98-2140c16a10ea" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Moriyasu said despite his team's strong defensive play in the first half, a draw had never been his objective, and he was confident after trailing that his team could stay in the game and even win it.[/p][p][b]"Of course, it was tough for them to fight back ... they managed to be tenacious and at ‌the same time be patient and keep calm and find ​and seize the opportunities. So I'm very proud that they ‌could keep their own pace," he said.[/b][/p][p][b]"We were aiming to get three points, not one point. So in that point of view, of course it was a little bit disappointing."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/OQyqbHWB/"]Sweden[/a] face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tunisia/QqZVYk95/"]Tunisia[/a] later on Sunday in Monterrey in the ⁠other Group F match. Japan ⁠will meet Tunisia in Monterrey on ‌June 20th.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/japan-ULXPdOUj/netherlands-WYintcWb/?mid=4SV9xFBO"]Check out the match report with Flashscore.[/a][/p]