Netherlands Crush Sweden 5-1 to Take Control of Group F

The Netherlands beat Sweden 5-1 on Saturday, putting them top of Group F and within touching distance of the World Cup knockout stage.

Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo each scored twice in the win. Brobbey, a surprise starter in place of Crysencio Summerville, opened the scoring in the fifth minute. He brought down a long ball from goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, fed Gakpo on the left, then ran into the box to finish off Gakpo's low cross.

Brobbey added a second 12 minutes later, stabbing the ball home after getting in behind Sweden defender Isak Hien to meet a low cross from Denzel Dumfries.

Sweden briefly thought they had pulled one back in first-half stoppage time when Gustaf Lagerbielke headed into an empty net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Any hope of a comeback faded quickly after the break. Less than two minutes into the second half, Gakpo tapped in at the back post from another Dumfries cross. He doubled his tally in the 54th minute, drilling a low shot past goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt after Summerville, brought on at halftime, set him up with a driving run.

That goal also brought up a milestone for the tournament as a whole. It was the 100th goal scored at this World Cup, reached faster than at any edition since 1958.

Sweden got a goal back in the 59th minute through substitute Anthony Elanga, who ran onto a through ball and lifted a finish past Verbruggen. Summerville then capped his second-half cameo with a late strike into the bottom corner to make it 5-1.

The result leaves the Netherlands top of Group F on four points. Sweden will likely need a win over Tunisia in their final group game to keep their knockout hopes alive.

The Netherlands face Tunisia in Kansas City on Friday, June 26. Sweden play Japan at the same time in Arlington, Texas.