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[monks data]
Netherlands national football team
International Friendlies
Jun 5, 2015 at 7.30pm UK
 
USA national football team

3-4

Huntelaar (27', 49'), Depay (53')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Zardes (33'), Brooks (70'), Williams (89'), Wood (90')

Live Commentary: Netherlands 3-4 USA - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live coverage of USA's dramatic 4-3 win over Netherlands in Amsterdam.
2

USA scored twice in the final two minutes to snatch a dramatic 4-3 win over Netherlands in Amsterdam.

Two goals from Klaas Jan Huntelaar, either side of Gyasi Zardes's equaliser, helped Guus Hiddink's men into a 2-1 lead by 50 minutes.

The hosts moved further ahead four minutes later when Huntelaar's fierce drive deflected off the excellent Memphis Depay and wrong-footed Brad Guzan.

John Brooks threw the visitors a lifeline by starting and finishing an excellent move, before Danny Williams and Bobby Wood netted in the dying embers to snatch an unlikely win.

Below, relive our live commentary of the clash.


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Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to our live text coverage of the Netherlands' friendly clash with USA in Amsterdam. Unlike a tourist in the coffee shops around this famous city, the stakes aren't very high. Victory would be nice, sure, but with more serious matters lurking on the horizon, defeat isn't the end of the world.

This is the Oranje's first and last game before travelling to Latvia for a vital Euro 2016 qualifier in seven days. Guus Hiddink's side sit third in Group A, FIVE points behind Iceland and Czech Republic - who play each other next week - in the top two spots. More dropped points just isn't an option and tonight's warm-up gives Hiddink another chance to assess his squad beforehand.

Meanwhile, our Yankee friends face the Netherlands and Germany in a couple of warm-up encounters for the Concacaf Gold Cup next month. Jurgen Klinsmann's side united the nation with a spirited World Cup display this time last year, before ultimately being elminated by Belgium in the last 16. They're a team on the rise and another win here would enhance their burgeoning reputation further.

Anywho, let's have a quick look at the teams, shall we? Why not. Stay tuned folks.

NETHERLANDS XI: Cillessen; Janmaat, Blind, Bruma, Martins Indi; Clasie, Wijnaldum, Promes, Memphis; Van Persie, Huntelaar

USA XI: Guzan; Shea, Brooks, Alvarado, Chandler; Morales, Beckerman, Bradley; Zardes, Johnson, Johannsson

Right, let's start with the hosts and I can confirm that Robin van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar partner each other up top. You've got new Manchester United man Memphis Depay on the wing, with Quincy Promes, Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordy Clasie back in midfield. Premier League duo Daryl Janmaat and Daley Blind start at right and left-back respectively.

On to the US of A now and Klinsmann plays AZ hitman Aron Jóhannsson up top in the absence of Jozy Altidore. He's got Gyasi Zardes and Fabian Johnson either side of him in a three-pronged attack. Kyle Beckermann, Michael Bradley and Alfredo Morales sit in midfield. Brad Guzan comes in for Tim Howard between the sticks. And that's your lot.

Incidentally, Timothy Chandler earns his 20th cap today. Could he be any more prolific? That's just a little Friends joke to settle us down.

DID YOU KNOW? Both these sides have only met twice before? Yep, both played out a 2-2 draw in their first meeting in the 2008 olympics, before the Netherlands won 2-1 in another friendly five years ago. Huntelaar was on the scoresheet that day. There you go.

PREDICTION: Right, we're five minutes from kickoff so let's do what we always do and get a prediction wrong. And I'm punting for a 3-1 home win. United States aren't a bad outfit at all but Netherlands should have too much for them on the day. Hiddink hasn't exactly covered himself in glory since returning to the hot seat, however, so who knows!

Right, both sets of players enter the field now; USA led by Michael Bradley, and the hosts led by Robin van Persie. Could be a decent game this. Let's see!

We've got the national anthems coming now, courtesy of a 50-strong marching band. Trombones and all sorts out there at the minute. Quite a few USA fans in attendance, singing along to the Star Spangled Banner.

KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off in Amsterdam. Netherlands, playing from left to right, get us underway. Let's go.

The contest almost exploded into life a moment ago after a quiet opening, as Man United new boy Memphis Depay saw his rasping shot almost take Brek Shea's head off, before Van persie's rebound was also blocked, with a suspicion of handball. It's all Netherlands.

Villa keeper Brad Guzan earns his first touch of the ball after Van Persie's free kick dropped just a little too deep. USA haven't started as of yet.

One or two promising signs from the visitors' perspective, as the jet-heeled Gyasi Zardes sees his first touch of the ball but his subsequent shot is blocked, while Morales drills wide from the rebound. Better from USA.

SAVE! We've seen our first real save of the clash, and it's come from USA as Michael Bradley drills a left-footed shot straight at Jasper Cillesen. He saw it the whole way.

I'm telling you; you wouldn't want to be operating heavy machinery listening to this or watching because very little has happened thus far. The most interesting part of it so far is the fact that Netherlands are wearing white, rather than orange.

Excellent counter-attack from USA, orchestrated by Bradley, who races away from Clasie in midfield, but his ball for Fabian Johnson on the right is poor and it allows Bruno Martins Indi to make the challenge.

CHANCE! It's been coming, and it's come for the USA as Morales heads the ball back into the area from a corner, and Zardes, after capitalising on a touch of confusion, turns and volleys at goal but Cillesen saves. Good save but he should've scored.

We've seen a first example as to why Depay will be at Old Trafford next season. The attacker has just played a wonderful eye-of-the-needle ball through to Promes, but Brek Shea thwarts him before he can get his shot away. Excellent ball.

OFF THE POST! USA are bossing this one in terms of chances, ladies and gentlemen, and Michael Bradley is inches away from opening the scoring but his volley crashes off the inside of the post. Fabian Johnson looked certain to tap home the rebound, but his effort crashed off the other post and went out for a goal kick. Did the Netherlands team stop by a coffee shop before kickoff?

You can see why Netherlands are five points off the pace in their Euro 2016 qualifier. It's such a disjointed performance from them thus far. They don't appear too bothered in truth.

SHOT! Netherlands slowly but surely coming back into this, and Blind, completely free on the edge of the box, has their best chance but his shot cannons off Johnson and deflects out for a corner, which then comes to nothing. Still, it's not inspiring stuff from the Dutch, is it?

Yep, they're slowly but surely growing on top and Huntelaar, in a one-on-one with Guzan, is thwarted by Alvarado before he can get his shot away.

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Netherlands 1-0 USA (Huntelaar)

Yep it's been coming ladies and gentlemen, and Netherlands lead 1-0 thanks to Huntelaar, who squeezes between two defenders to head home Depay's brilliant cross. Very good goal that. United fans will be happy.

Its a really big ask for USA now, but Jurgen Klinsmann's side were arguably the better side up until that opener so who knows, maybe there's a route back into the clash for them. Bradley probably holds the key. He's been excellent in midfield.

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Netherlands 1-1 USA (Zardes)

We said it wasn't over, and Zardes has proved us right. The LA Galaxy man pulls away from Janmaat to poke home Fabian Johnson's excellent cross. Two brilliant crosses have been the story of the game thus far, from Johnson and Depay.

The Dutch just killing the game now a little. They've taken the sting out of this one expertly, diminishing USA's momentum with each and every straight pass across the back four. Clever play.

CHANCE! Oh lord what was Memphis Depay doing here? It's an exquisite bit of skill and pace to get himself into a goalscoring position, but with Guzan to beat, passes back to Van Persie, who is thwarted by the defence before he can get his shot away. We've seen some fantastic things Depay this evening and we've seen some questionable things.

Van Persie hasn't covered himself in glory tonight. He looks a little tired and he's played a host of really lacklustre passes thus far. The United hitman is playing a number 10 role of sorts, in behind Huntelaar. We might not see him in the second half.

DISALLOWED GOAL: Netherlands should be 2-1 ahead as Wijnaldulm taps into the roof of the net, but the ref rules it out for a foul on Shea in the build-up. Shocking decision that.

HALF TIME: Netherlands 1-1 USA

That's all she wrote in that half, ladies and gents. It's all square, with Gyasi Zardes cancelling out Klaas Jan Huntelaar's bullet header in a relatively decent half thus far.

RESTART: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back underway ladies and gents. USA, playing from left to right, kick us off once more. I fancy a decent second half. 3-2 USA. You heard it here first.

Doesn't look like any changes in this second half from either side. We expect a raft of them in and around the 60-minute mark.

SAVE! We've seen our first sight of Van Persie at long last, as the Dutch hitman sees his header saved by Guzan, before his clever backheel is cleared off the line by Kyle Beckermann. Better from Van Persie, who didn't do a whole lot in the first half.

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Netherlands 2-1 USA (Huntelaar x2)

The pendulum swings back in favour of the Dutch, and Van der Wiel's brilliant cross is headed home by Huntelaar for his second of the evening. Excellent header. Excellent cross. 2-1.

DISALLOWED GOAL: Another goal chalked off; this time for USA as John Brooks header is ruled out for pushing somebody in the build-up to create the space. Right decision this time.

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Netherlands 3-1 USA (Huntelaar)

Huntelaar celebrated it but it might've been Depay's goal. The striker, who has two already, fires at goal but his fierce strike takes a wicked deflection off Depay and beats Guzan via the post. Considering it's a friendly, and Huntelaar is on two already, it seems unfair to deny him a hat-trick - but it probably was Depay's goal!

SUBS: Van Persie makes way for Davy Proper, who sounds like a cockney fella, while Mix Diskerud and Spurs man DeAndre Yedlin make an appearance for USA.

Sadly, USA are all out of ideas here it seems. They've been second best in this half - and indeed second best in the game, barring a brief 10-15-minute spell in the first half. There's a gulf in class out there.

SAVE! What a save this is from big Brad, who keeps Wijnaldum out with his feet following Depay's excellent left-footed cross. United have a player in Depay; no doubt about it.

SAVE! It's a tale of two goalkeepers now as Cillessen makes an equally impressive save, with his feet, to keep out Zardes in pursuit of his second. Suddenly, we've found a pulse in this game again following a drab 10 minutes or so.

SUB: USA make their third sub as the ineffective Aron Johansson makes way for Bobby Wood.

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Netherlands 3-2 USA (Brooks)

This is a brilliant goal. Big defender Brooks dispossesses Huntelaar in the middle of the park before passing to Bradley, whose perfectly weighted ball found Yedlin and the young Spurs man passed across the face of goal for Brooks, who continued his run, to tap home. Excellent.

Michael Bradley really is an excellent player. He was excellent in the World Cup and he's been superb here again.

Probably about 20 minutes left. Can USA salvage a draw? They've done really well today so who knows. Netherlands' tempo has dropped since Van Persie and the man dem went off.

You get the impression that Huntelaar, with two goals, knows that he won't be credited with the Netherlands' third goal because he looks desperate for a real hat-trick; shooting from all sorts of mad angles etc. Greed is a prerequisite for all strikers really, isn't it?

DUTCH SUBS: Luuk De Jong and Wesley Sneijder replace Huntelaar and Clasie. Sorry Klaas; no hat-trick for you today my friend.

USA look decent going forward but an equaliser is still a big ask. It's all Netherlands now. Some of the visiting players look dead on their feet out there at the moment.

CHANCE! Oh lord how did this stay out? Blind, with just Guzan to beat, squared it to De Jong for some reason and the Dutch striker miscued his effort, but he still nearly scored when Brooks's clearance ricocheted off him and struck the bar! This is a mental game. That goal frame has been struck more times than Little Mo.

Sneijder has been excellent since coming on. Superb vision to fashion that chance a few minutes ago. Three minutes left and it looks like the Dutch are going to hang on.

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Netherlands 3-3 USA (Williams)

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Netherlands 3-4 USA (Bobby Wood)

Oh my word where did USA pull this from? They've only gone and scored twice in two minutes to lead 4-3! First, Danny Williams thumped past Cillessen to equalise, before Wood stroked home what looks like a winner two minutes later following a swift counter attack. Bizarre, but real!

FULL TIME: Netherlands 3-4 USA

Well I never. What a finale that was, my friends! Goals from Danny Williams and Bobby Wood in the final two minutes turned that game on its head and helped USA to a dramatic 4-3 win over Netherlands, who struck the woodwork literally about 15 times (maybe three times).

Anyways, I'm going for a lie down after that. Thanks for joining our live commentary of what I'm sure you'll agree was a brilliant clash and I'll see you next time. Take care now.

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Netherlands' forward and captain Robin van Persie takes a penalty kick to score a goal during the third place play-off football match against Brazil on July 12, 2014
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