As the sun beat down on Houston, Texas, the Netherlands national team prepare to face Sweden for their second World Cup group match. The match dey hold at Houston Stadium, and e be hot, hot condition with temperature over 30 degrees and humidity high like 80 to 85 percent. The feel-like temperature fit reach 40 degrees, so the KNVB don warn everybody about the heat.
Early morning, thousands of Oranje fans begin celebration at Rice University. By quarter to nine, the supporters start a four-kilometer walk to the stadium, a real parade through Houston streets.
There was worry about Frenkie de Jong, the midfield maestro, after he clash with Quinten Timber during training on Thursday. Timber no dey play because of a light concussion. Coach Ronald Koeman talk say De Jong get ‘light complaints below his waist’, but the man still start in the starting eleven.
The big surprise na Brian Brobbey wey dey start as striker. Brobbey wey bin dey bench for the first match against Japan (2-2) don now get nod ahead of Crysencio Summerville, wey score on his World Cup debut. So Donyell Malen wey play as center forward against Japan go now play on the right wing. The attack line-up be Donyell Malen, Brian Brobbey, and Cody Gakpo.
This match go test the Dutch resilience under tough weather and against a strong Swedish side. All eyes dey on how the team handle the heat and the pressure.
