Three points and a statement performance. Netherlands outclassed Sweden by 5 goals to 1 inside NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas, sending a clear message to the rest of the group stage field.
This 6-goal contest featured some fine finishing, though scorer details are yet to be confirmed by official sources.
Netherlands edged the territorial battle, finishing with 50.9% possession against their opponent's 49.1%. The shot count read 10 to 16 — Sweden showed greater menace in the final third but the numbers only tell part of the story.
Three points is the ideal start for Netherlands and puts them in control of their own destiny in the group stage. Sweden have the quality to bounce back, but the margin for error now is slim in a group where every game counts.
This is the World Cup that rewrites the record books. Forty-eight nations. Twelve groups. Sixteen cities across three countries — the United States, Mexico and Canada. For every team still standing, the mission is the same: keep winning and keep believing.
