Netherlands goals: Brobbey (5, 17), Gakpo (47, 54), Summerville (89) Sweden goal: Elanga (59)
The Netherlands have stormed to the summit of Group F after braces from Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo secured a thrilling victory over Sweden in Houston.
The Swedes contributed throughout to this enthralling encounter, but were playing catch-up from the moment Brobbey slammed home an inviting Gakpo cross inside five minutes.
The Sunderland striker had only scored once for his country before this FIFA World Cup but found the net again just 12 minutes later when he slid in to divert home a low Denzel Dumfries’ centre.
Sweden piled on the pressure thereafter and thought they had a goal back only for the offside flag to curtail the celebrations that followed Gustaf Lagerbielke’s brave header.
The interval came at the worst possible time for Graham Potter’s side and within eight minutes of the restart the game was well and truly beyond them. Gakpo added to his earlier assist with a quickfire double, converting from close range before cutting inside to crash home a trademark drive from the edge of the area.
Substitute Anthony Elanga offered Sweden some hope with a superb breakaway effort, but the impressive Crysencio Summerville restored the Oranje's four-goal cushion with an emphatic right-foot strike as the clock ticked down. Potter's side now fall to second – a point behind the Dutch - ahead of the later Group F fixture between Japan and Tunisia.
Gakpo’s second goal was his fifth in only seven World Cup appearances. He is now just two behind the Netherlands’ record scorer at the finals, Johnny Rep.
"Sometimes you have to have these experiences. I didn’t think it was that kind of game, but we have to learn from it. We were playing against a good team. They hurt us in the wide areas. The first goal was from a long ball we didn’t deal with very well.” Graham Potter, Sweden coach "It feels amazing to make a direct impact and I think as a team we played very well. I think everybody has a good bond with each other and we'll fight for each other as well, that's the main thing." Brian Brobbey, Netherlands striker
"The result is what it is, but I think we did some good things today that we can take with us, and obviously, another few things that we can learn from. I think the goals that we conceded are a little bit too easy. But then again, if you are not in the right position, if you lose half a meter, one meter against players like this, then they're going to punish you. That's exactly what happened today." Victor Lindelof, Sweden captain
Sources: FIFA Official
