Soccer <\/p>\n
Graham Potter believes that Sweden’s 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands will serve as a learning curve for the rest of their World Cup campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Potter watched on as his team were thumped at\u00a0Houston Stadium on Saturday, with\u00a0Brian Brobbey and\u00a0Cody Gakpo both scoring twice for Ronald Koeman’s side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Netherlands were already four goals up by the time\u00a0Anthony Elanga pulled one back in the 59th minute, but\u00a0Crysencio Summerville added more gloss for the Oranje late on.<\/p>\n
The result saw\u00a0Sweden lose a\u00a0World Cup match by three or more goals for the first time since their 5-2 defeat to Brazil in the 1958 final on home soil.<\/p>\n
And after winning each of their first three, Sweden have since won just two of their 15\u00a0World Cup group-stage matches against fellow European nations (D5 L8).<\/p>\n
Sweden remain in a strong position to progress from Group F following their 5-1 victory over Tunisia, with the latter facing Japan on Saturday in Monterrey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Potter bemoaned his team’s inability to defend the Netherlands’ threat in the wide areas, but he is positive they can turn things around against Japan next time out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Obviously, really disappointed. It was a tricky one to analyse, we did lots of good things,” Potter said.<\/p>\n
“We attacked, had good opportunities, but you can’t concede that many and hope to win. We’ll learn a lot from the game.<\/p>\n
“We played against a good team. They hurt us in wide areas and one goal was from a long ball we didn’t deal with well.<\/p>\n
“It was not a great start in the first period [but we]\u00a0then came back in the second part of the first half.<\/p>\n
“We started well in the second half, but lost the ball, conceded two goals and the game was gone from us.<\/p>\n
“The boys kept going, but it is one of those things we’ll learn a lot from.”<\/p>\n
\nTung f\u00f6rlust i Houston.<\/p>\n
5-1\u00a0| #FIFAWorldCup<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/VIPnb2A2d7<\/a><\/p>\n