"VAN" (Sports Desk - 21.06.2026) :: The Netherlands have stormed to the summit of Group F after braces from Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo secured a thrilling 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 scored 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. Sweden piled on the pressure thereafter and thought they had a goal 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 and within eight minutes of the restart the game was well and truly beyond them. Gakpo added to his earlier assist with a quickfire double, converting from close range before cutting inside to crash home a trademark drive from the edge of the area. Substitute Anthony Elanga offered Sweden some hope with a superb breakaway effort, but the impressive Crysencio Summerville restored the Oranje's four-goal cushion with an emphatic right-foot strike as the clock ticked down. Potter's side now fall to second – a point behind the Dutch - ahead of the later Group F fixture between Japan and Tunisia. Cr-FIFA2026
On Sun, Jun 21, 2026