New Delhi: Day 4 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered plenty of drama as Japan staged a spirited comeback to hold the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw, while Germany and Sweden registered emphatic victories in their respective group matches.
At Dallas Stadium, Japan produced a stunning late fightback against the Netherlands in Group F. The Dutch twice took the lead through Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville, but Japan responded on both occasions.
After Van Dijk’s opening goal, Keito Nakamura levelled the scores with a brilliant strike from outside the box. Summerville restored the Netherlands’ advantage in the second half, but Japan refused to give up and found an equaliser late in the match when Daichi Kamada rose to convert from a corner and secure a valuable point.
Meanwhile, four-time champions Germany made a dominant start to their campaign with a crushing 7-1 victory over Curaçao. Although Curaçao, playing their first-ever World Cup match, briefly shocked Germany when Livano Comenencia cancelled out Felix Nmecha’s opener, the European giants quickly regained control.
Nico Schlotterbeck restored Germany’s lead before Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot just before half-time. Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav added to the tally in the second half, while Havertz completed his brace late in the game.
Sweden also enjoyed a comfortable outing, beating Tunisia 5-1. Yasin Ayari starred with a brace, while Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and Mattias Svanberg were also on the scoresheet. Omar Rekik netted Tunisia’s lone goal in an otherwise one-sided contest.
In another Group E encounter, Côte d’Ivoire snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador thanks to Amad Diallo’s 90th-minute winner. The Manchester United forward converted Wilfried Singo’s cross to seal all three points in Philadelphia and hand the African side a crucial win in their World Cup campaign.
