Yuki Otsu missed a penalty and was left to count the cost as VVV Venlo went down 1-0 away to NAC Breda in the Dutch first division on Saturday.
Otsu, one of the heroes of Japan's run to the semifinals of last summer's London Olympics, had the chance to put Venlo in front on 14 minutes, but his failure to convert the spot kick was punished as Eric Botteghin snatched victory for Breda with a 91st-minute goal.
Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Mike Havenaar came on for the last 20 minutes but Michihiro Yasuda was not involved as Vitesse Arnhem was thrashed 4-1 away to AZ Alkmaar.