Netherlands rout Sweden as Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey star at World Cup

At a time when traditional No. 9s are becoming increasingly rare, when the classic center forward is no longer as common as it once was, Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands have discovered the devastating force of one. Brian Brobbey was the battering ram that tore Sweden apart, a wall that was easier to leap over than go around. Alongside Dumfries, who looked every bit the weapon Mourinho needs at Madrid, and Gakpo, who joined the party with a brace, the Dutch overwhelmed Sweden and left them battered and buried beneath a rout.

Brobbey on fire

Those youth tournaments, those early demonstrations of power at Ajax, and the flashes he has also shown this year in the Premier League with Sunderland, were reproduced on the biggest stage of all: the World Cup. Brobbey dominated Sweden in a high-level encounter, an all-European showdown played 5,000 miles from the continent despite the two countries being separated by barely 500 miles back home.

The way he uses his body feels almost old-fashioned. That’s how he helped create the opening goal. He shielded the ball from a Swedish center back, spread play out wide, and then arrived in the box to finish the move himself. Gakpo supplied the assist. The wide players benefited enormously from having a target man ahead of them, a forward who attracts defenders and clears space around him like a magnet drawing metal filings.

Dumfries also enjoyed the freedom that Brobbey’s presence created. His flank became a highway. Going forward, he was outstanding. He delivered two assists and could easily have had several more. If he follows Mourinho’s defensive instructions, Real Madrid have signed a genuine weapon. The second and third goals both came from his boots, perfectly weighted deliveries that Brobbey and Gakpo merely had to tap home.

Plenty of chances at both ends

It was a terrific game. Sweden, a team that attacks far better than it defends, kept pushing forward despite knowing the risks involved. They could have scored several goals and conceded even more. By the hour mark, goals from Gakpo and Elanga had already helped create a breathless contest.

Only the dreaded cooling break interrupted the game’s momentum. From that point on, the match became slower and more controlled. The crowd, incidentally, booed the mandatory stoppage. Even so, Alexander Isak had a chance to make it 4-2, but it was Summerville who eventually added another layer to the scoreline. By then, the Netherlands had already eased off after unleashing their thoroughbreds. Three of them, Brobbey, Dumfries, and Gakpo, were unstoppable until Sweden simply ran out of answers.

Watch out for them. Watch out for the Netherlands.

5-1: A commanding rout

The Netherlands crushed Sweden with five goals in a match that was more balanced than the final score suggested.

2.47 xG for the Netherlands

The Dutch generated far higher-quality chances than Sweden, which finished with 0.99 xG.

16 shots for Sweden

Sweden actually outshot the Dutch, who had 10 attempts, but was far less efficient in front of goal.

50.9% possession for the Netherlands

A slight edge in possession for the Dutch in what was otherwise a fairly even contest.

5 shots for Cody Gakpo

The Dutch attacker was the most active player in the final third and capped his performance with a crucial brace.

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