Netherlands Rout Sweden 5-1 to Move Closer to World Cup Knockouts

The Netherlands earned their first win at the 2026 World Cup on Saturday, beating Sweden 5-1 in their second Group F match in Houston. The Oranje dominated for most of the game with aggressive attacking football and took a major step toward the knockout stage, while Sweden were halted after their impressive opening 5-1 win over Tunisia.

Brian Brobbey put the Dutch ahead in the fifth minute and doubled his tally in the 17th minute, giving the Netherlands a 2-0 lead by halftime. Sweden created several dangerous chances in response, but goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made key saves to keep them out.

The second half began in the same fashion for the Dutch. Cody Gakpo scored twice within seven minutes, in the 47th and 54th minutes, to make it 4-0. Alexander Isak pulled one back for Sweden in the 59th minute, briefly offering hope of a comeback.

That hope ended late on when Crysencio Summerville scored in the 89th minute to seal a 5-1 victory. The result followed the Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Japan in the opening round and leaves them in a strong position for qualification, while Sweden now face a tougher path heading into the final group round.