Netherlands vs Japan match preview: Rooting for Virgil and Cody

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This 1xBet Ireland review contains all the useful information about the upcoming Matchday 1 game of the world’s premier football tournament.

Is 1xBet legal in Ireland? Yes, the international brand’s operations in our country are regulated by a state license. The promo code to unlock the free bets is available at the end of the article.

The national teams of the Netherlands and Japan will begin their WC 2026 campaigns with a head-to-head clash on June 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA.

Netherlands: Time to reach the summit

The Dutch are three-time international runners-up and bronze medalists at the 2014 tournament. Ronald Koeman’s side aren’t among the top contenders for gold at the North American competition, but are considered a dark horse capable of springing a surprise. The Netherlands have strong players across the pitch, and the spots in the starting lineup for Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo from Liverpool are beyond question.

During their preparations for the tournament, the Oranje defeated Norway and Uzbekistan by identical 2-1 scores, drew 1-1 with Ecuador, and lost 1-0 to Algeria. Cody scored twice against Uzbekistan, while Virgil equalised against Norway.

Japan are dangerous to underestimate

If friendly matches decided a competition, the title might well go to Japan. The team from the Land of the Rising Sun is currently on a six-match winning streak, with victories over opponents from different continents: Ghana (2-0), Brazil (3-2), and Bolivia (3-0), as well as Scotland, England, and Iceland, all with identical 1-0 scores. It is worth noting that Brazil and England are considered among the top six favourites for the tournament.

Japan’s squad is made up largely of players based abroad. Standout names include captain Wataru Endō from Liverpool and Takefusa Kubo from Real Sociedad. Also worth mentioning is 39-year-old veteran Yuto Nagatomo, for whom this tournament will be the fifth of his career.    

H2H history

Sixteen years ago, the Oranje and the Samurai Blue met for the first, and so far only, time in an official match. At the global football forum in South Africa, the Dutch defeated Japan 1-0 in their second group-stage fixture. The only goal was scored by Wesley Sneijder following an assist from Robin van Persie.

Odds for the main outcomes

The Netherlands, with odds of 2.02, are considered the conditional favourites in their first match at the tournament in North America. The probability of a draw is estimated at 3.64, and in the event of a sensational victory for the Japanese, the stake amount will be multiplied by 3.84.

*Odds might change eventually

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