Netherlands Face Crucial Test Against High-Flying Sweden in Houston
(image via Getty Images)
Houston Stadium will host its third match of the 2026 World Cup this afternoon with the Netherlands taking on Sweden. The Dutch are coming off a 2-2 draw in their opener in Japan where they led twice but could only come away with one point. Sweden picked up three points with an emphatic 5-1 win over Tunisia in their opening match of the tournament.
When: Saturday, June 20 | 12:00 PM CT kickoff
Where: Houston Stadium; Houston, Texas
TV/Stream: Fox, Telemundo
There Will Be Goals
These teams combined for seven goals in their opening match, coming from six different goal scorers. Both sides are also keen to conceding goals. The Netherlands haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last five matches while Sweden has conceded in its last twelve. With the likes of Viktor Gyökeres, Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, and Crysencio Summerville on the attack in this match, look for plenty of goals from both sides today at Houston Stadium.
Must Win for the Dutch?
After a draw in their opening match, the Netherlands come into today’s contest with just one point. If the Netherlands don’t win today, and Japan can beat Tunisia in the group’s other game, it will leave the Dutch in third place in the group with just one game to play. If they don’t pick up three points today they will be unable to finish top of the group, where most people predicted them to be, and will have to get points in their final match against Tunisia to advance. As a team that some picked to win the tournament, the Netherlands needs a good showing today to get back on the right path forward in this World Cup.
A New Sweden
If you’re as old as I am you remember the Sweden teams of Freddie Ljunberg and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. This 2026 squad boasts their own firepower in Gyökeres and Isak and perhaps one of the young, breakthrough players of the tournament in Yasin Ayari. The 22-year-old Brighton midfielder scored twice in Sweden’s win over Tunisia and looks poised to be on of the best players at the tournament for this team. Both is goals came from outside the box, and he can dicate play all over the middle third. A lot of eyes will be on Sweden’s two talisman in today’s match but make sure you pay attention to the match up in midfield between Ayari and the Netherlands duo of Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch.
