KANSAS CITY - Bart Verbruggen completed goalkeeper training with the other goalkeepers a day before the World Cup kick-off of the Dutch national team against Japan in Kansas City and therefore seems ready to take his place under the bar on Sunday in Dallas.  
  
The Netherlands will play the first group match of the World Cup against Japan in Arlington, a suburb of Dallas (starting at 10 p.m. Dutch time). National coach Ronald Koeman previously expressed the expectation that Verbruggen would simply be able to defend the goal against Japan.  
  
The number one goalkeeper of the Dutch team dropped out in the practice match against Uzbekistan with a hip contusion after an Uzbek rudely ran into him. In recent days he completed an individual program with a physiotherapist, but the expectation was always that he would make it to the game in Dallas.  
  
Press conference Ronald Koeman and Frenkie de Jong  
The Dutch team will first complete training in Kansas City before catching a plane to Dallas later today. There, national coach Ronald Koeman and midfielder Frenkie de Jong will give a press conference at half past six local time. That is half past one in the morning in the Netherlands.

Telegraaf: Bart Verbruggen is ready for the World Cup clash of the Dutch team with Japan [Dutch, translation below]