Netherlands forward Brian Brobbey justified the decision to bring him into the starting line-up with two poacher's goals in a 5-1 World Cup stroll over Sweden on Saturday.
Cody Gakpo also netted a double after the interval in Houston to boost the three-times runners-up, with Anthony Elanga's goal for 4-1 of little use to the Scandinavians. Substitute Crysencio Summerville made it five in style late on but was then injured.
Sweden crushed Tunisia 5-1 in their opener but Group F will now go to the wire, although the Dutch will feel confident of going through on their current four points given the eight best third-placed sides progress to the last 32.
They will still want to hammer Tunisia on Thursday and top the group.
The Dutch looked slightly toothless in the box in the opening 2-2 draw with Japan, but it was still a surprise to see coach Ronald Koeman drop Sunday's goalscorer Summerville for the burly Brobbey.
However, the Sunderland man showed it was a touch of genius by giving the Dutch a real number nine and a big presence up front.
Early on he superbly held up a long ball from the goalkeeper and then charged into the box to finish off Gakpo's cross.
It was 2-0 on 17 minutes when Brobbey latched on to a Denzel Dumfries ball after the full back had been given far too much room on the right.
He had trebled his Dutch goal tally in a flurry and his second was the 100th men's World Cup goal for the Oranje. The Netherlands are the eighth side to pass the milestone but the only one yet to lift the trophy.
The second half was then a cruise.
