While Norway won everything and became the top scorer in the qualification for the World Cup, Sweden had to go through extra rounds to join. The difference between the Netherlands and Sweden was huge and the Netherlands is not even among the favorites.

One thing is clear, this Swedish team will not reach a World Cup final.

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Netherlands crushed Sweden 5-1 – took full control in Houston

The Netherlands cruised to a crushing 5-1 win over Sweden on Saturday night, giving their World Cup campaign the perfect boost in Houston.

Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo both scored two goals each, while Crysencio Summerville added to make it 5-1 as the Oranje ravaged their Scandinavian opponents.

Anthony Elanga scored a consolation goal for Sweden, who can now record an unfortunate feat: they became the first team to lose their second World Cup match by four goals – after winning their opening match by exactly the same margin.

The result means that the Netherlands are in all likelihood ready for the round of 32. Sweden, on the other hand – who already have three points – will have to try to get up in the final group game against Japan.

An inspired change

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman caused a stir with his squad selection when he brought in Brobbey from the start and replaced the impressive Summerville – the only change from the 2-2 draw with Japan.

The decision paid off immediately. Brobbey hammered in Gakpo’s cross after just five minutes, before doubling the lead just over ten minutes later – at full stretch he deflected a cross from Denzel Dumfries into the far corner.

With a shocked Sweden desperate to get back in the game, Yasin Ayari should have made far more of a precise cross from Viktor Gyökeres. Then the Arsenal striker himself forced Bart Verbruggen into a good save.

The Scandinavians, who felt that the game was about to turn, thought they had reduced when defender Gustaf Lagerbielke headed in Benjamin Nygren’s voluntarily cross – but the offside flag went up, and the goal was nullified.

The Netherlands took off in Houston

The break came too soon for the Swedes – and just three minutes after the break, the Netherlands extended their lead.

From another dangerous cross from Dumfries, Gakpo was ready to put the ball into the net from close range – strengthening the Dutch’s grip on the game.

Seven minutes later, the Liverpool striker netted his second – and his team’s fourth – after a lightning-fast counter-attack that started with teammate Alexander Isak losing the ball high up the pitch.

In Houston, Sweden faced a serious problem – they almost needed a miracle. Ayari fired a shot just over the goal, before they got a glimmer of hope when Isak atoned for his earlier mistake and played a brilliant through pass to Elanga. The substitute showed electric speed and put the ball in the goal.

But there was never any heroic Swedish recovery. Instead, Summerville, who came on after half-time – he also scored against Japan in the opening game – made it 5-1 late in the game. He found the bottom corner after another precise Dutch passing attack, and thus completed a complete outclassing.

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