Netherlands 5-1 Sweden
The Netherlands grabbed a statement win in Houston Texas on Saturday evening with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over European rivals Sweden.
In my SBOTOP preview of World Cup 2026: Netherlands vs Sweden I said we’d see goals and Bryan Brobbey obliged with an early double as the Netherlands went into the break with a two goal lead. Sweden threatened to get back into the game before Cody Gakpo scored a quickfire double at the start of the second period to finish the contest and Anthony Elanga’s reply was no more a consolation for the sorry Swedes. There was even time for Crycensio Summerville to make it 5-1 before the final whistle.
Graham Potters’s Sweden started the match on top of Group F, after they slapped Tunisa 5-1 in their opener while Ronald Koemann’s Netherlands were pegged back twice by Japan in a 2-2 draw, but they left nothing to chance against Sweden in a brutal display of attacking football.
The Oranje go top of Group F and they are dark horses for the World Cup at the very least, while Sweden can still progress if they can get a result in their final group game against Japan.
Highlights of the game
The Netherlands needed a win to assert their authority on Group F and they came out the blocks like lightning, and it was Sunderland striker Brobbey who broke the deadlock with just five minutes on the clock. The 24 year old held the ball up brilliantly before releasing Cody Gakpo, who raced down the wing before crossing into the area which Brobbey had charged into, and the bustling striker made no mistake from six yards.
That was the Netherlands’ first shot in anger and Viktor Gyokeres came close to equalising for Sweden almost immediately but, on 17 minutes, the Oranje had doubled their lead, and it was Brobbey again, this time sliding the ball home from point blank range after Denzil Dumfries found him with a low skidding cross which had taken a slight deflection.
Sweden were up against it, but they responded with a series of attacks as Alexander Isak started to exploit holes in the Netherlands defence, twice setting up Gyokeres and Yasin Ayari who both failed to find the target. Donyell Malen had a great chance to make it 3-0 but fluffed his shot and then Bart Verbruggen made a brilliant save to deny Ayari in the last action of the half.
The game was done within ten minutes of the second half as Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo scored twice in quick succession. His first was a carbon copy of Brobbey’s second as Dumfries got to the bi-line and crossed for Gakpo to poke home and Sweden boss Potter must have really been suffering on the touchline. His second and the Netherlands’ fourth was a breakaway after Isak had lost the ball. The turnover was rapid and Gakpo finished with a clever curling shot and that was that.
Anthony Elanga gave the Sweden fans something to cheer; but not for long as Summerville rounded off the Netherlands’ night in a five star show for Koemann.
Key statistics
The Netherlands vs Sweden betting odds backed an Oranje win and they came out of the blocks at lightning speed, but the Swedes fought back and by half time Potters men had nine shots to the Netherlands’ five and they had four each on target.
By the end of the game Sweden still led the shot count, by 15 to ten but in an entertaining clash both teams had seven shots on target.
What’s next?
The Netherlands vs Sweden highlights certainly delivered in style and next up, in the other Group F match, Tunisia face Japan at the Estadio BBVA where Tunisia need to avoid defeat to stay in the hunt. Then, later on Saturday another fancied team, Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany face the Ivory Coast, hoping to follow up on their impressive 7-1 hammering of Curacao in their opener. On Sunday Spain and Belgium are in action after starting their campaigns with draws they will hope to get their first wins against Saudi Arabi and Iran.
Group F winds up on Friday when the Netherlands face Japan and Sweden will play Tunisia. I’d say the Netherlands are as good as through now and they will be aiming to finish top of the group, while the Swedes are still in decent shape to make the Round of 32 at least.
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