Gakpo and Brobbey at the double as Dutch sink Swedes

Netherlands 5-1 Sweden

Netherlands strikes: Brobbey (5, 17), Gakpo (47, 54), Summerville (89) Sweden strike: Elanga (59)

The Netherlands have stormed to the summit of Group F after braces from Brian Brobbey, as well as Cody It was Gakpo who clinched a edge-of-the-seat victory over Sweden in Houston.

The Swedes contributed throughout to this enthralling encounter, but were playing catch-up from the moment Brobbey slammed home an inviting Gakpo cross inside five minutes.

The Sunderland striker had only found the net once for his country before this FIFA World Cup but found the net again just 12 minutes later when he slid in to divert home a low Denzel Dumfries’ centre.

Furthermore, sweden piled on the intensity thereafter, as well as thought they had a strike back only for the offside flag to curtail the celebrations that followed Gustaf Lagerbielke’s brave header.

The interval came at the worst possible time for Graham Potter’s side, as well as within eight minutes of the restart the fixture was well, as well as truly beyond them. Gakpo continued to his earlier setup with a quickfire double, converting from close range before cutting inside to crash home a trademark drive from the edge of the area.

Replacement Anthony Elanga offered Sweden some hope with a superb breakaway effort, but the impressive Crysencio Summerville restored the Oranje's four-strike cushion with an emphatic right-foot effort as the clock ticked down. Potter's side now fall to subsequent – a point behind the Dutch - ahead of the later Group F fixture between Japan, as well as Tunisia.

Pivotal stat

Gakpo’s subsequent strike was his fifth in only seven World Cup appearances. He is now just two behind the Netherlands’ milestone scorer at the finals, Johnny Rep.

Michelob Ultra Superior Star of the Contest

Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)

What they commented...

"Sometimes you have to have these experiences. I didn’t think it was that kind of fixture, but we have to learn from it. We were playing against a good side. They hurt us in the wide areas. The opening strike was from a long ball we didn’t deal with very well.” Graham Potter, Sweden manager "It feels astonishing to make a direct impact, as well as I think as a side we played very well. I think everybody has a good bond with each other, as well as we'll fight for each other as well, that's the main thing." Brian Brobbey, Netherlands striker

"The result is what it is, but I think we did some good things today that we can take with us, and obviously, another few things that we can learn from. I think the strikes that we conceded are a little bit too easy. But then again, if you are not in the right position, if you lose period a meter, one meter against stars like this, then they're going to punish you. That's exactly what happened today." Victor Lindelof, Sweden leader