Houston (AFP) – Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey both scored twice as the rampant Netherlands thrashed Sweden 5-1 in a World Cup warning on Saturday in Houston. The big win in front of nearly 69,000 put the delighted Dutch on the cusp of the knockout rounds and gave them liftoff after being held by Japan. Ronald Koeman’s side top Group F with four points from two games, ahead of Sweden on three, Japan (one), and Tunisia (none).
Despite the sobering loss, the Swedes had plenty of chances but were denied by good goalkeeping and wasteful finishing. They are still in with a good chance of progressing into the last 32 but face a test in the form of Japan in their final group game. “We attacked, had some opportunities but obviously defensively you can’t concede that many and hope to win, but we’ll learn a lot from the game,” Sweden coach Graham Potter told BBC TV. “Sometimes you have to have these experiences. I didn’t think it was that type of game, but again that’s the scoreline; we have to accept it and learn from it.”
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Sunderland striker Brobbey got his first start of the tournament and repaid Koeman with predatory goals after five and 17 minutes. Before that, the 24-year-old had scored only once for his country. In a game full of Premier League talent, Liverpool’s Gakpo — who set Brobbey up for the opener — scored twice early in the second half. Substitute Anthony Elanga pulled one back for Sweden just before the hour with a classy finish. Substitute Crysencio Summerville, who was replaced in the starting line-up by Brobbey, had the last word for the five-star Dutch.
“If you look further at the goals we scored, that will cause fear among opponents,” Koeman said. “The way those goals came about, in transition with a lot of pace and a lot of quality, we can be incredibly dangerous.”
– Liftoff for Dutch –
Two crew members from the historic Artemis II lunar mission were among the VIP guests, a nod to Houston’s place as the home of space flight. The Dutch, twice pegged back in a lively 2-2 draw with Japan to start their title bid, made the brighter start in front of their orange-clad fans and King Willem-Alexander.
Brobbey, who came in for Summerville despite the winger scoring against Japan, started and finished the first goal. It was made in the Premier League, with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, and Gakpo all involved. Brobbey exchanged passes with Gakpo, before the Anfield attacker crossed in low from the left for his teammate to stab in from close range. At the other end, the much-vaunted attack of Liverpool’s Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal were feeding on scraps for Sweden.
Twelve minutes after his opener, Brobbey made it 2-0 when a deflected Denzel Dumfries cross from the right fell perfectly into his path and he toe-poked past Kristoffer Nordfeldt. Sweden, who thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in their first game, then created several opportunities for Gyokeres and Yasin Ayari to reduce the deficit, but they failed to find a way past Verbruggen before half-time.
– World Cup warning –
Koeman sent on Summerville for Malen at the break, and two minutes later it was mission impossible for Sweden, Gakpo prodding in from close range after yet another dangerous low cross from Dumfries. Gakpo scored a lovely fourth on 54 minutes, turning inside his defender before firing low into the bottom corner. Elanga pulled one back when he raced clear of the Dutch defense and rattled the ball past Verbruggen. West Ham’s Summerville made it five in the dying minutes with his second goal in North America.
“Of course this match was better than the previous one. That’s what you want; ideally, you want to win right from the start,” said Koeman. “But if this is a sign of more to come, then we’re heading in the right direction.”
© 2024 AFP
