The Netherlands open their World Cup campaign today against Japan.
Ronald Koeman’s side are looking to reach the latter stages of the sport’s biggest competition, and perhaps even better their 2010 feat, where they reached the final in South Africa.
FOLLOW NETHERLANDS VS JAPAN LIVE!
They were beaten 1-0 by Spain thanks to Andres Iniesta’s goal, in what was their third-ever final appearance following their 1974 and 1978 runs.
The Oranje are hoping to go three better than their Qatar quarter-final exit, where they were defeated by Argentina on penalties after an astonishing game in Lusail.
They face a Japan side who are coming into this tournament as many’s dark horses.
Hajime Moriyasu has what many would consider a ‘golden generation’ of talent at his disposal, with the likes of former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu and Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada within his ranks.
They beat England in a friendly at Wembley back in March, with Brighton and Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma, left out of this squad due to injury, netting the winner in a huge confidence-booster for this tournament.
Japan sailed through Group C of the Asian qualifying stages, topping the table with seven victories from their 10 games.
How to watch Netherlands vs Japan for FREE
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on ITV1, with coverage starting at 8.15pm BST ahead of a 9pm kick-off. Coverage will immediately follow that of Germany vs Curacao, which will be broadcast on the same channel.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via the ITVX app or the channel’s website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog!
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with the ITVX app and their websites.
