Netherlands 2-1 USA: Kuyt And Huntelaar Help Oranje To Narrow Victory

The Dutch opened the score before the break and doubled their lead in the second half. The guests pegged one back in the dying minutes of the game, but were unable to restore parity.

Mar 3, 2010 4:48:00 PM

By Stefan Coerts

More On :  Netherlands, USA
Wesly Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt, Arjen Robben; Netherlands / Holland (USA Friendly)

Holland returned to winning ways in Wednesday's international friendly against USA after drawing their previous three games 0-0. Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt opened the scoring for The Netherlands from the spot after forty minutes of play before Klaas Jan Huntelaar doubled Oranje's lead halfway the second half. Carlos Bocanegra pegged back for the guests in the dying minutes of the game, but it was too little, too late.
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Oranje started the match with attacking intentions, but were unable to find an opening in the American defense in the opening minutes of the game.

Inter playmaker Wesley Sneijder was the first to test Tim Howard in the American net, but the 'keeper saw his shot coming and boxed the ball over the cross-bar.

Sneijder won a spot kick minutes before the break after USA defender Jonathan Bornstein pulled the attacking midfielder's shirt inside the area. Dirk Kuyt stepped up and the former Feyenoordd star slotted home with ease.

Sneijder kept causing the American defense problems after the break. He set up pacey winger Eljero Elia with a superb pass, but the Hamburger SV youngster failed to add his name to the score sheet.

Neither of the two sides really managed to create any serious chances and it wasn't too much of a surprise that the second goal of the game was the result of a deflected shot. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar unleashed a strike that bounced off Bornstein to end up in the back of the net.


The USA then pegged one back in the dying minutes of the game, but it was only a consolation goal. DaMarcus Beasley sent in a superb ball for Carlos Bocanegra and the Stade Rennais defender beat his marker before heading home from close range.

Clarence Goodson, Jozy Altidore and Beasley all had chances to level the match but the late push from the Americans came up short.

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