Brobbey and Gakpo braces fire ruthless Netherlands past Sweden 5-1

Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo scored twice each as the Netherlands brushed Sweden aside 5-1 in Houston, despite being out-shot. Bart Verbruggen starred in goal as the Dutch went top of Group F.

The Netherlands turned ruthless finishing into a rout, beating Sweden 5-1 at NRG Stadium in Houston to move top of Group F. Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo each scored twice, and the scoreline barely hints at how much Sweden actually had the ball.

Brobbey set the tone early. The Sunderland striker pounced inside five minutes, then added a second on seventeen, two sharp finishes that gave the Dutch a grip on the game they never loosened. At 2-0 inside twenty minutes, the contest already had the feel of a long night for Sweden.

Gakpo made it a procession after the break. The Liverpool forward struck twice in the space of seven minutes, on 47 and 54, cutting in from the left and beating the goalkeeper with the kind of clean strikes that have become his trademark. Four goals to the good, the Netherlands could ease off.

Here is the strange part. Sweden out-shot the Netherlands twenty to twelve and forced more saves, but the night belonged to goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who stood tall every time the Swedes broke through. The numbers and the scoreboard told opposite stories, and only one of them counts.

Sweden's misery was a tale of wasted chances. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, two of the Premier League's sharpest strikers, could not find a way past Verbruggen, and substitute Anthony Elanga grabbed only a consolation on 59 minutes. After thumping Tunisia 5-1 in their opener, Graham Potter's side were brought crashing back down.

Crysencio Summerville added the fifth late on, finishing off the scoring on 89 minutes and underlining the strength in depth Ronald Koeman can call upon. Virgil van Dijk marshalled the defence and Ryan Gravenberch ran the midfield, the Liverpool pair as composed as they are for their club.

The win sends the Netherlands top of Group F after an opening draw with Japan, and on this evidence they look a serious side. Clinical in front of goal, settled at the back, and deep enough to bring quality off the bench, Koeman's team have quietly become one of the dark horses of the tournament. Our Europe round-one verdict flagged the firepower across the continent, and the Dutch just added to the evidence.

For Kenyan fans, this was a feast of familiar faces, with Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal men scattered across both line-ups. Wadachi walikuwa wakali, Sweden hawakuweza: the Dutch were ruthless, Sweden simply could not live with them. Five goals, a star turn from the goalkeeper, and a statement of intent in Houston.