The USA scored twice in the final two minutes of their international friendly with the Netherlands to clinch a 4-3 win at Amsterdan ArenA this evening.
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The USA looked the more likely of the two sides in the opening 20 minutes as Michael Bradley forced an early save from Jasper Cillesen before hitting the post, while Gyasi Zardes tried his luck with a volley.
Despite the visitors' bright start, it was the Dutch side that broke the deadlock when Memphis Depay picked out Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with a cross, leaving the striker to slip through two defenders before heading in.
America were back on level terms less than 10 minutes later though as Fabian Johnson played the ball forward for Zardes, who got the better of Daryl Janmaat before tapping in unmarked.
Netherlands had the ball in the back of the net again before half time as Georginio Wijnaldum smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range, but the referee ruled that Brek Shea had been fouled in the build up, resulting in the goal being chalked off.
The home side did not need long to re-establish their lead in the second half as Gregory van der Wiel set up Huntelaar for his second of the evening just five minutes after the restart.
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John Brooks thought that he had equalised just three minutes later when he headed in from close range, but the referee was forced to rule another goal out for a shove in the box in the build up.
The Dutch side immediately capitalised down the other end, with Huntelaar unleashing a powerful strike in a bid to complete his hat-trick, but it was Depay who got the final touch.
Brad Guzan continued to come under pressure in the USA goal, but the Aston Villa man was ready to deny Wijnaldum with his feet as he tried to turn in from a Depay cross.
The visitors managed to cut the gap with 20 minutes to go as Brooks made amends for his earlier disallowed effort, tapping in from just a couple of yards out from a low DeAndre Yedlin cross.
Huntelaar continued to push for a third to complete his hat-trick, shooting from a variety of ambitious positions, but the visiting defenders were able to deal with the striker's efforts.
The visitors started to look dangerous again in the final five minutes though, and were back on level terms with just moments to spare as Danny Williams rifled the ball past Cillesen.
They were not finished yet though as Bobby Wood coolly slotted home on the counter-attack just seconds before the full-time whistle.
Sian Cowper
