The Dutch national team was the sensation of day 10 of the Football World Cup with Curaçao.
With a crushing 5-1 victory over Sweden in Houston, the Dutch team decisively put aside doubts that existed after the draw against Japan last weekend: if the team manages to maintain the level it showed on Saturday, wrote The Athleticthe Dutch team is a contender for the world title.
With Brian Brobbey as the backbone and finisher, the Dutch team achieved a fluent attacking game, saw NRCeditor Steven Verseput at Houston Stadium in Texas. In an excellent first twenty minutes, a lot suddenly fell into place for the Dutch team and they took a 2-0 lead thanks to Brobbey. After the drinks break, the overwhelmed Sweden seemed to recover, but was never in a position to overtake the Netherlands.
The Dutch team was also extremely efficient at the start of the second half, although it did show vulnerabilities. However, Sweden was unable to take advantage of this due to poor finishing. Cody Gakpo made it 3-0 soon after halftime, 4-0 after another seven minutes. Swedish substitute Anthony Elanga made it 4-1, before Crysencio Summerville scored for the Netherlands in the 89th minute.
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After a difficult run-up, everything fell into place for the efficient Dutch team against Sweden: 5-1
With the victory against Sweden, the Netherlands broke a record: with fourteen games, it can boast of the longest series of matches without a defeat in the history of the World Cup. The last World Cup match that the Dutch team lost was the final against Spain in 2010. In 2014 and 2022, the Netherlands was eliminated via penalties, both times by Argentina. Those matches are classified as draws. The previous record was held by Brazil, which played thirteen consecutive World Cup matches without a defeat from 1958 to 1966.
The Dutch team believes that things should be even better
The Oranje players were happy with the victory, but also believe that they need to do even better. “We have had many good moments, but we also have things that we need to improve,” captain Virgil van Dijk said to NOS afterwards. Gakpo was also critical: “Today we also gave away a lot and certainly not everything went well,” he told ANP. “There is a lot of room for improvement.”
Cody Gapko in a duel with Gustaf Lagerbielke of Sweden.
Photo Sam Wasson / EPA
The Netherlands looked more convincing than Germany, which narrowly beat Ivory Coast in Toronto. Despite chances for Germany, Frank Kessié gave the African country the lead in the 30th minute. Germany did not equalize until the 68th minute, when substitute Deniz Undav scored. The decisive goal came in the 94th minute. Germany, which defeated Curaçao last weekend, is in first place in the group after two victories and is therefore certain of the knockout phase.
Curaçao writes history with a draw
Curaçao did pull off a stunt on Saturday night by gaining a World Cup point with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador. In Kansas City, this was mainly due to one man: goalkeeper Eloy Room. Although Curaçao played well in the first half, Ecuador created many more chances, editor Mark Lievisse Adriaanse saw. In the second half, Ecuador had the ball almost continuously.
The Ecuadorians shot almost thirty times on goal – but were met with keeper Room again and again. With fifteen saves, Room approached the World Cup record of American goalkeeper Tim Howard, who stopped sixteen shots against Belgium in 2014. Thanks to the draw, Curaçao still has a small chance of advancing to the knockout phase of the World Cup. The draw was celebrated exuberantly on Curaçao on Saturday evening.
King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and Princess Ariane encouraged Curaçao from the stands in Kansas City in blue shirts, after they were in the stands earlier in the day at the Dutch team’s match in Houston. At that match, the king sat next to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino.
“I may have made some suggestions to Gianni Infantino for the Peace Prize for the coming years,” the king said with a smile against NOS. Infantino created a controversial FIFA peace prize last year and awarded the first trophy to US President Donald Trump.
Orange is causing a stir in the US
Local spectators in Houston seemed to be in favor of the Netherlands, helped by the popular Orange march, Verseput noted in Houston. The Orange Legion is causing quite a stir in the United States. “It is difficult to think of a group of football fans that is more recognizable than the Dutch,” says the American website Politico.
Politico dedicates an article to the question why Dutch supporters dress in orange – although that color, the publication notes, does not appear in the Dutch flag. It explains that the Netherlands left its mark on America centuries ago, with the founding of the colony of New Netherland, which stretched across present-day New York, New Jersey and Delaware, with New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) as the main settlement.
Today’s matches
The match between Tunisia and Japan has now started in Monterrey, Mexico, as well as the Netherlands and Sweden in Group F.
Later on Sunday, Spain will play Saudi Arabia at 6 p.m. Dutch time. Belgium will face Iran in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. Dutch time. Uruguay and Cape Verde will play each other in Miami at midnight. New Zealand and Egypt meet at 3 a.m. on Sunday night in Vancouver.
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2026 FIFA World Cup
Historic point Curaçao thanks to heroic goalkeeper Eloy Room