Dutch Dominant: Netherlands Beats Sweden 5-1
(image via Omar Duran)
Houston Stadium welcomed the Netherlands and Sweden for the city’s third match of the 2026 World Cup. Sweden got off to a winning start and sat atop Group F coming into this match after a 5-1 win over Tunisia in their first game. The Netherlands entered today with one point in the group after a 2-2 draw against Japan.
Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman inserted Sunderland attacker Brian Brobbey into the starting eleven for this match and it immediately paid off. In the 5th minute, Cody Gakpo burst down the left and fired into the box. Brobbey timed his run perfectly and just had to tap into the net to put the Dutch ahead 1-0.
The dream start for Brobbey, and the Netherlands, continued in the 17th minute. This time the goal came from the right side as Denzel Dumfries was slipped in and slid the ball in front of goal. Brobbey slid for it and poked it it home to double the Dutch lead to 2-0.
After the first half hydration break, Sweden came out showing life. Viktor Gyokeres whipped in a perfect left-footed cross in the 29th minute but Yasin Ayari tried to bring it down with his chest and his touch was too heavy, sending the ball out of play. Gyokeres then forced a good save from Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the 31st minute.
Sweden thought they had pulled a goal back in the 45th minute. Benjamin Nygren put a left-footed ball into the box off a free kick, right onto the head of Gustaf Lagerbielke. His header found the back of the net but the flag went up as Lagerbielke and a number of Swedish players never got back onside.
The Swedes continued their chances in first half stoppage time. Gyokeres forced a save with a whipped free kick and Verbruggen did very well to get down to his right and parry away a shot from Ayari.
The Netherlands took their 2-0 lead into the second half and quickly extended it. Substitute Crysencio Summerville slipped Dumfries in again and he once again fired a ball right in front of goal. This time it was Gakpo in front to tap it home and the Dutch lead ballooned to 3-0 in the 47th minute.
Gakpo got his brace and put the game to bed in the 54th minute with a fine strike. Summerville played a ball into the Liverpool attacker. Gakpo took a touch and then smashed a shot to the bottom corner, putting the Netherlands head 4-0 and sealing the three points.
Sweden pulled a goal back in the 59th minute through substitute Anthony Elanga. Alexander Isak slid a ball through the Dutch back line and Elanga outraced them all to get one-on-one on goal. The Newcastle man put his left-footed effort high and past Verbruggen to give the Swedes a small lifeline at 4-1.
Summerville finished things off in the 90th minute, bagging the Dutch’s fifth goal of the afternoon. The West Ham forward picked up the ball from Memphis Depay and drove forward. He slalomed to the top of the box and then drilled his shot into the bottom corner to make the score 5-1 and finish off this match.
The win puts the Dutch atop Group F with four points, pending the result of Japan’s match against Tunisia later tonight. Sweden stay on three points and drop to second place in the group, also pending what happens in the match this evening.
Both teams head into the last match of the group with qualification to the Round of 32 on the line. The Dutch will finish the group stage on Thursday against Tunisia. Sweden will wrap up against Japan, also on Thursday.
