USA come from behind to register emphatic 4-3 win against Netherlands
Bobby Wood scored a 90th-minute winner Friday as the United States rallied from two goals down to beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a friendly at the Amsterdam Arena.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s team trailed 3-1 with 20 minutes left but John Brooks started the comeback in the 71st and the Americans netted twice more in the last three minutes of regulation time for their first ever win over the Dutch.
Wood slotted in his first international goal after a cross by Jordan Morris, just two minutes after Danny Williams had made it 3-3 with a shot that flew in after deflecting off Dutch striker Luuk de Jong.
“They had a big chance and it just was a counter attack and Jordan gave me a tap in pretty much,” Wood said. “I was lucky to be there.”
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had earlier scored two headers and assisted on Memphis Depay’s goal. Gyasi Zardes equalized for the U.S. after Hunterlaar’s first goal.
Williams and Zardes also netted their first international goal against a Dutch team that finished third at last year’s World Cup.
“I was lucky that my shot deflected at the end,” Williams said. “It’s an absolutely fantastic feeling to win against Holland in Amsterdam.”
Huntelaar tied and then moved past Patrick Kluivert into second place on the list of all-time top scorers for the Netherlands, taking his international tally to 41 goals in 72 matches. Dutch captain Robin van Persie tops the list, but couldn’t add to his 49 goals before he was substituted in the second half.
The Americans secured the win without three key players. Captain Clint Dempsey stayed in Seattle to await the birth of his fourth child, fellow attacker Jozy Altidore is recovering from a hamstring injury and midfielder Alejandro Bedoya was out with a knee injury.
The Netherlands was without Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, whose season was ended by a calf injury.
Klinsmann next takes his team to his home country to play world champion Germany on June 10. The Netherlands has a crucual European Championship qualifier in Latvia next Friday. Guus Hiddink’s team is third in Group A after five matches and badly needs a win.
The Americans had early chances but captain Michael Bradley hit the inside of the post and Fabian Johnson slotted the rebound into the side netting.
Goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen then saved a shot by Brek Shea in the 22nd after the Orlando City forward had surged into the box from the left flank.
The Dutch were more clinical as Huntelaar rose between John Brooks and Ventura Alvarado to head home his 40th international goal from Depay’s cross in the 27th.
That lead didn’t last long.
Zardes got behind defender Daryl Janmaat in the 33rd to tuck away a cross by Johnson at the far post for his first international goal.
Depay, who is moving from Dutch league champion PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United in the off season, caused the U.S. defense problems throughout the match with his pace and control.
Huntelaar netted his second header to make it 2-1 four minutes after the break, after an inch-perfect cross from the right by half-time substitute Gregory van der Wiel.
Depay made it 3-1 by deflecting a powerful shot by Huntelaar past Brad Guzan in the 53rd.
Brooks cut the lead when he dispossessed Huntelaar inside his own half and then surged forward to meet a cross from the right by substitute DeAndre Yedlin.
That strike paved the way for substitutes Morris and Wood to steal the win in the final minutes.
