Netherlands 5-1 Sweden (Brobbey 5′, 17′, Gakpo 47′, 54′, Summerville 89′ | Elanga 59′)
NRG STADIUM – At the last World Cup, Wout Weghorst was the unlikely Dutch hero: a tall, physical, focal point centre-forward who scored twice in a game and catapulted himself into a position of prominence. Roll it back and play it again in the US.
Against Sweden in Houston, Brian Brobbey was a force of nature. He scored the fourth quickest brace in World Cup history. He won headers to create chances and held off defenders to bring the onrushing orange shirts into the move. He wrestled and rustled and hustled and bustled. And he made it all look beautiful.
This seemed unlikely a fortnight ago. Then, Memphis Depay was the centre-forward option because he was the record goalscorer and international managers lust after familiarity. When Ronald Koeman left Depay on the bench against Japan, it was in favour of Donyell Malen as a striker with Crysencio Summerville on the wing.
Had the Dutch won that game, the plan may have stayed the same. But in Houston, the record goalscorer came on for the final 20 minutes to rest the legs of the new contender. On three sides of the NRG Stadium, orange shirts rose to their feet to applaud and cheer. Brobbey turned in a circle as he jogged off, taking it all in.
