Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands enter Saturday’s Group F fixture at Houston’s NRG Stadium requiring a result to maintain control of their World Cup progression. After surrendering two separate leads in a 2-2 draw with Japan on matchday one—conceding an 89th-minute equaliser to Daichi Kamada—the Dutch sit third in the group with a single point.
Sweden arrive as the group leaders following a 5-1 win over Tunisia. Graham Potter’s shift to a vertical attacking system yielded immediate results, with Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres both registering goals, while 22-year-old Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari contributed a brace. A win for Sweden guarantees their place in the last 32 and would secure top spot in Group F if Japan fail to beat Tunisia.
While the Netherlands lead the historical head-to-head with 12 wins from 25 meetings, this marks only their second encounter at a World Cup finals, 52 years after their goalless draw in the 1974 group stage.
What are the best picks for Netherlands vs Sweden?
Over 2.5 Goals
The defensive metrics from both sides point toward a high-scoring contest. Despite deploying a backline featuring Virgil van Dijk and Micky van de Ven, the Netherlands conceded twice from just a handful of Japanese transitions and looked vulnerable defending central areas late in the game.
Sweden, meanwhile, possess a potent forward line but have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven internationals across all competitions. With the two teams combining for seven goals in their respective opening matches, backing goals offers a logical angle.
Cody Gakpo: 1+ Goal
When it comes to major international tournaments, Cody Gakpo consistently delivers. The Liverpool forward scored three goals in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup and added another three at Euro 2024 to finish as the tournament’s joint-top scorer.
Operating off the left flank for the national team, Gakpo managed two shots in his 85 minutes against Japan. He also arrives in North America in sharp form, having netted twice in the Netherlands’ final warm-up friendly against Uzbekistan on June 8.
Against a Swedish defence that regularly concedes, Gakpo’s direct running and proven tournament pedigree make him a prime candidate to find the net.
Where can I watch Netherlands vs Sweden?
UK viewers can follow the live broadcast on BBC One and stream the match via BBC iPlayer, with coverage beginning ahead of the 18:00 BST kick-off.
What is the Netherlands’ predicted team?
Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Van Hecke, Van de Ven; De Jong, Reijnders, Gravenberch; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo
What is Sweden’s predicted team?
Nordfeldt; Lagerbielke, Hien, Lindelof; Bernhardsson, Nygren, Karlstrom, Ayari, Gudmundsson; Isak, Gyokeres
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