The first meeting came in a friendly in September 2009, which the report says the Netherlands won 3-0. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar opened the scoring before Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie added second-half goals.
Their next encounter carried greater weight. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Sneijder reportedly scored the only goal in a 1-0 Netherlands victory in Durban. That result formed part of the Dutch run to the final, while Japan were left still searching for a breakthrough against Oranje.
The most recent meeting, a friendly in Genk on 16 November 2013, is reported to have finished 2-2. The Netherlands appeared to be in control after goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Arjen Robben, but Japan fought back through Yuya Osako and Keisuke Honda.
That comeback remains the defining moment in this fixture. The report puts the aggregate score across the three matches at 6-2 to the Netherlands, with Japan’s only goals coming in the draw.
More than a decade separates the last meeting from the Dallas contest, making the old record useful context rather than a guarantee. The Netherlands have controlled the series, but Japan’s recovery in Genk showed that the matchup can shift quickly when the Samurai Blue find attacking rhythm.
The next storyline is whether Japan can turn that historic comeback into a first senior victory, or whether the Netherlands will extend their unbeaten record against familiar opponents.