World Cup Group Stage - 2
Netherlands 5 - 1 FT Sweden
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
5' B. Brobbey (C. Gakpo)
17' B. Brobbey (D. Dumfries)
HT
46' ↓ D. Malen ↑C. Summerville
47' C. Gakpo (D. Dumfries)
G. Gudmundsson 53'
54' C. Gakpo (C. Summerville)
↓ A. Bernhardsson ↑A. Elanga 55'
↓ J. Karlstrom ↑B. Zeneli 56'
↓ B. Nygren ↑L. Bergvall 56'
A. Elanga (A. Isak) 59'
59' ↓ F. de Jong ↑T. Koopmeiners
59' ↓ T. Reijnders ↑G. Til
72' ↓ B. Brobbey ↑M. Depay
Y. Ayari 75'
↓ Y. Ayari ↑T. Ali 79'
L. Bergvall 80'
89' C. Summerville (M. Depay)
90' ↓ C. Gakpo ↑N. Lang
↓ G. Gudmundsson ↑E. Stroud 90'+3
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Netherlands
Goalkeepers
Bart Verbruggen 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Denzel Dumfries 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
2
Assists
28%
Pass Acc
Jan Paul van Hecke
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Virgil van Dijk
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Micky van de Ven
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Ryan Gravenberch
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Frenkie de Jong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
59
Total Mins
59
Entry
Tijjani Reijnders
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
59
Total Mins
59
Entry
Forwards
Donyell Malen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Brian Brobbey 
HITMAN
2
Goals
2
Goals
2
On Target
8.2
Rating
Cody Gakpo
HITMAN
2
Goals
2
Goals
4
On Target
9.6
Rating
BENCH
Mark Flekken 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Robin Roefs
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Jorrel Hato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nathan Aké
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lutsharel Geertruida
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Guus Til
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
35
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Teun Koopmeiners
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
35
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mats Wieffer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Marten de Roon
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Crysencio Summerville 
CLUTCH HERO
89
Goal Time
89
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
8.5
Rating
Justin Kluivert
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Memphis Depay 
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
22
Minutes
6.7
Rating
Noa Lang
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wout Weghorst
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sweden
Goalkeepers
Kristoffer Nordfeldt 
SIEVE
29%
Save %
29%
Save %
5
Conceded
2
Saves
Defenders
Gustaf Lagerbielke 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
8
Tackles
69%
Duel Win %
Isak Hien
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Victor Lindelöf
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Jesper Karlström
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
56
Total Mins
56
Entry
Alexander Bernhardsson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
55
Total Mins
55
Entry
Benjamin Nygren
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
56
Total Mins
56
Entry
Yasin Ayari 
STORMTROOPER
4
Shots
4
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Gabriel Gudmundsson 
NPC
93
Minutes
93
Minutes
14%
Pass Acc
6.2
Rating
Forwards
Viktor Gyökeres
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
94
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alexander Isak
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
1
Assists
27%
Pass Acc
BENCH
Jacob Widell Zetterström
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Viktor Johansson
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Carl Starfelt
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Hjalmar Ekdal
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Eric Smith
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daniel Svensson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Besfort Zeneli
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
38
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lucas Bergvall
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
38
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Elliot Stroud
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Herman Johansson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ken Sema
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mattias Svanberg
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Taha Abdi Ali
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Anthony Elanga
SUPER SUB
1
Goal
1
Goal
39
Minutes
7.9
Rating
Gustaf Nilsson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10/2017 | Netherlands | 2 - 0 | Sweden | World Cup - Qualification Europe | Johan Cruijff Arena |
| 09/06/2016 | Sweden | 1 - 1 | Netherlands | World Cup - Qualification Europe | Friends Arena |
10/10/2017
09/06/2016
Netherlands Win
Sweden Win
Draw
League Standings
| Pos | Team | P | Pts | GF | GA | GD | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | DPortugal 1 - 1 Congo DR (17-06-2026) |
| 2 | Congo DR | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | DPortugal 1 - 1 Congo DR (17-06-2026) |
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -3
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Dutch Masterclass Dismantles Sweden in Six-Goal Thriller
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 85/100. This top-of-the-table World Cup group clash was blown wide open as an unstoppable Dutch attack sent a chilling warning to the rest of the tournament.
The Oranje Onslaught
The Stakes could not have been higher at NRG Stadium with both teams fighting for group supremacy, but Netherlands wasted no time asserting their absolute authority. A frantic Intensity defined the opening exchanges, yielding an immediate reward when B. Brobbey found the back of the net in the fifth minute following a brilliant attacking sequence. The Dutch edged possession at 52%, methodically unpicking the Swedish defensive lines with slick, aggressive passing. By the 17th minute, Brobbey doubled his tally, finishing clinically off a superb delivery from D. Dumfries to establish a commanding early lead. Sweden looked entirely shell-shocked by the onslaught, struggling desperately to cope with the relentless overlapping runs and precise midfield combinations that carved their defensive structure into pieces before the half-hour mark.
A Frantic Goal Flurry
The second half erupted into pure attacking chaos, completely destroying any remaining Balance on the pitch. C. Gakpo took center stage to deliver a masterclass, bagging a rapid-fire brace in the 47th and 54th minutes. Dumfries provided yet another pinpoint assist for Gakpo's first, while his second strike, teed up by substitute C. Summerville, effectively killed the contest. However, Sweden finally found a flicker of resistance just five minutes later. Substitute A. Elanga provided an immediate impact off the bench, linking up beautifully with A. Isak to claw a consolation goal back in the 59th minute. Despite the Swedish breakthrough, the sheer volume of attacks—a massive combined 25 shots over the 90 minutes—meant the Dutch were always capable of finding another gear whenever challenged.
Super Subs Finish the Job
Even as the tempo eventually dropped, the sheer depth of the Dutch squad proved far too much for their opponents to handle. The match featured notable goalkeeper heroics with eight impressive saves between the posts, but the attacking firepower on display simply overwhelmed the shot-stoppers. In the dying moments, the Oranje substitutes combined brilliantly to put the final nail in the coffin. M. Depay squared a perfectly weighted ball for Summerville, who capped off his stellar second-half cameo with an 89th-minute goal. The resounding 5-1 victory leaves the Netherlands sitting pretty at the top of their World Cup group standings. Meanwhile, Sweden faces a massive uphill battle to recover their shattered goal difference and restore team morale before the crucial final matchday.
Key Questions
What made Cody Gakpo the Man of the Match?
Gakpo scored two clinical goals and provided an assist early on, dominating the final third with an outstanding 9.6 match rating.
What caused the 6-goal thriller?
An astonishing 25 combined shots created constant chaos, while both teams' substitutes provided immediate attacking impact during a wildly open second half.
What does this mean for Netherlands's season?
This massive win secures their spot at the top of their World Cup group with four points, cementing their status as serious tournament contenders.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
A Tense Knockout Vibe in Group Stage Two
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 64/100. An absolute must-win scenario where dropping points will likely spell early World Cup elimination for either side.
The Setup
On June 20, 2026, NRG Stadium hosts a World Cup group match where the safety net has completely vanished. The Netherlands clash with Sweden in what is essentially a survive-and-advance scenario. An off-the-charts Stakes rating confirms the massive pressure on both squads. The Stars metric is notably low for a major tournament, meaning this gritty contest will be decided by tactical discipline and collective effort rather than individual magic. While early tournament Form is still taking shape, a strong Balance score points toward a tightly contested tactical battle.
Key Battle
With individual star power lacking, this match hinges on a clash of units. The fluid, possession-heavy Dutch midfield must break down a notoriously rigid and disciplined Swedish defensive block. Sweden will sit deep, absorb pressure, and attempt to exploit spaces on the counter-attack. The side that blinks first in this tactical standoff will lose their World Cup dream.
Our Prediction
The Netherlands are clear favorites, but breaking down the Swedish wall will require immense patience. We expect a grueling, physical encounter with very few clear-cut chances. The Dutch should eventually pick the lock in the second half to secure a narrow 1-0 victory.