Japan manager deploys time-keeping tactic vs Netherlands that has got everyone talking

Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu and his coaching staff deployed an unorthodox 'time-keeping tactic' during their World Cup opener against the Netherlands – and it worked a treat.

An 88th-minute equaliser from Daichi Kamada earned Japan a 2-2 draw against Ronald Koeman's side in one of the more entertaining match-ups of this summer's tournament thus far.

The Netherlands opened the scoring in Dallas through Virgil van Dijk, who arrowed a header into the far corner with 51 minutes played, but a defiant Japan found an equaliser shortly after through Keito Nakamura.

It was an end-to-end game in the final half an hour and it looked like Crysencio Summerville's superb effort to make it 2-1 had edged it for Oranje.

However, Kamada's deflected goal with two minutes of normal time remaining sealed a deserved point for Japan.

One of the big talking points from Sunday's match at Dallas Stadium was the decision from Japan's coaching staff to hold up a whiteboard showing exactly how much time was left on the clock for their players.

New time-keeping tactic deployed 🧑‍🏫

Was this key to Japan's last-ditch equaliser? pic.twitter.com/v4Nt1ZJATv

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 14, 2026

Starting from three and ending with one, individual numbers were written on the board to give Hajime Moriyasu's team a final push. In fact, Moriyasu held up the number 45 towards the final stages of the first half.

Clearly, the tactic worked when Kamada found the net in the dying stages.

Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou certainly enjoyed the unusual method. "I guess their timekeeping is good," he said on ITV.

"I just wish they had something up there that says, you know what, just be a bit more brave and play a bit more. I know the capabilities they have," added Postecoglou, who managed in Japan from 2018 to 2021.

Gary Neville, on the other hand, wasn't exactly convinced. "No, no, no, that wasn't a tactic that I deployed," he laughed. "When I saw a six go up, that was the goals we conceded."

Ronald Koeman defends his tactics against Japan

While Japan were praised for their in-game management, Ronald Koeman was criticised for his defensive substitutions.

Koeman brought off goalscorer Crysencio Summerville in a triple ⁠substitution and later added a third centre back, Nathan Ake, to the fold.

Speaking in his post-match interview, the Netherlands manager defended his tactics. "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 said.

"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."