Memphis Depay Poised for Possible Return to Starting Lineup as Dutch Star Recovers from Injury

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Memphis Depay, the Netherlands' all-time leading scorer, made his appearance in the 70th minute during the World Cup opener against Japan. Currently managing a thigh injury, there is optimism regarding his potential return to the starting XI.

With 55 caps to his name, Depay responded positively when reporters inquired about his condition after the Dutch team settled for a 2-2 draw against the Samurai Blue. “Memphis is almost ready,” stated coach Ronald Koeman ahead of their upcoming match against Sweden in Houston on Saturday. “I feel he is coming.”

In the match, Depay joined fellow substitutes Teun Koopmeiners and Quinten Timber as the Netherlands held a 2-1 lead. Crysencio Summerville netted the second goal for the Dutch, while Donyell Malen created two close opportunities that were thwarted by Japan's goalkeeper, Zion Suzuki. However, Japan equalized late in the game thanks to Daichi Kamada, who scored from a corner kick in the 88th minute.

After the match, questions arose regarding Koeman's substitutions, especially as the team extended their unbeaten run in group play to 17 games. The Netherlands now faces Sweden (ranked 39th) and Tunisia (45th) in their remaining group fixtures. Interestingly, the Dutch side sits at eighth in the FIFA rankings, while Japan is positioned at 18th, making the Netherlands the only team to have reached the World Cup final three times without securing a championship.

Reflecting on the match, Koeman noted, “After we scored the first goal, our defense started having difficulty because they were putting more pressure toward our goal.” He acknowledged defensive lapses that contributed to Japan's equalizer, which came after a slight deflection off goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen during a save attempt, despite Verbruggen playing through a hip injury sustained in a pre-tournament match against Uzbekistan.