Janssen won’t give up but Robben has

NETHERLANDS

V SWEDEN

The Netherlands must beat Sweden by seven goals tonight if they are to qualify for the play-offs and keep their 2018 Worldcupdreamalive.striker Vincent Janssen says the team must go into the game in Amsterdam believing they can pull off the unthinkable but his team-mate Arjen Robbenhasalreadygivenuphope.

It looks like Dick Advocaat’s side have left themselves with far too much to do and that the team which finished third at the last World Cup in Brazil in 2014 won’t be heading to Russia. Sweden’s goal difference is so superior because they thumped Luxembourg 8-0 on Saturday night.

“You know that, if you win the match by a big margin, it’s still possible. If Sweden can, so can we,” said Janssen, the Tottenham Hotspur striker who is on loan at Fenerbahce. “Of course, the chances are very slim, but as long as that little possibility is there, you have to play the game. It’s a very difficult task, but crazier things happen in football.”

Robben, the captain of the Dutch side, scored in Saturday’s unconvincing 3-1 victory in Belarus but he’s not holding out much hope of getting the goals they need this evening.

“A 7-0 win at home to Sweden isn’t going to happen,” said the Bayern Munich winger. “This hurts. It is unfortunately part of the sport.”