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Phenomenal comeback sees USMNT defeat Netherlands in thriller
America never surrenders.
The United States Men's National Team earned their first-ever win against the Netherlands in jaw-dropping fashion on Friday, stringing together three late goals, including a 90th-minute winner from unlikely hero Bobby Wood, to exit Amsterdam Arena with a resounding 4-3 friendly win.
Since last year's World Cup, Jurgen Klinsmann's side have struggled in the latter stages of friendlies, conceding late goals against Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia, Chile, Denmark, and Switzerland over the past months.
All that feels like the distant past, however, as Friday's late heroics were a reminder of the never-say-die attitude that embodied the USMNT at the past two World Cups.
Gyasi Zardes, featuring in an unfamiliar role on the left flank, was the story of the first half. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar opened the scoring in the 27th minute after Zardes, who had already squandered a number of chances, gave Memphis Depay all the time in the world to pick out his target.
But then, in the 33rd minute, the blonde-haired forward silenced the haters.
After Fabian Johnson launched a dangerous ball across the Dutch penalty area, an on-rushing Zardes got the outside of his right foot on the ball to score his first-ever goal for the USMNT and level the score at 1-1.
Going into the second half, there were obviously concerns over whether Klinsmann's squad would fall victim to another late-game collapse ...
Mandatory halftime tweet: #USMNT has outscored opponents 12-4 in the 1st half post-World Cup, but been outscored 12-3 in the 2nd half.
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) June 5, 2015
... and it took minutes for the breakdown to begin. Huntelaar headed home his second goal of the friendly following a precision-perfect cross from Gregory van der Wiel, and four minutes later, Depay got his name on the scoreboard, deflecting a shot from Huntelaar into the back of the net.
All of a sudden, it was 3-1 and the USMNT appeared to be on the verge of another post-World Cup defeat.
Cue the comeback.
Exactly 335 days since he scored his first international goal at the World Cup to five the USMNT a 2-1 win versus Ghana, John Anthony Brooks cut the Netherlands' lead in half in the 70th minute with his second international goal, slotting home an accurate pass from DeAndre Yedlin, who had only entered the match moments earlier as a replacement for Brek Shea.
John Anthony Brooks. 3-2 Holland #USAvNED #USA
Down 3-2 and fueled by Yedlin's presence on the pitch, the USMNT then found their sorely desired equaliser in the 89th minute, when Daniel Williams lashed a shot from outside the Netherlands' penalty area past Jasper Cillessen via a deflection.
Williams
And it didn't end there.
In what had seemed like an unimaginable scenario only 20 minutes earlier, Bobby Wood, who many supporters believe has no place in international football, proved the doubters wrong, scoring a stoppage-time winner to complete the comeback and give the USMNT their first victory against the Netherlands in five meetings.
Bobby Wood makes it 4-3 to the #USMNT in the 90th
4-3. Game over. Just try and stop America.
4 - This is the first time #USMNT have scored four goals in a game since August of 2013, a run of 26 games between. Quartet.
— OptaJack (@OptaJack) June 5, 2015
Since 2000, the only other time #USMNT had won after trailing by 2+ goals was at Bosnia-Herzegovina in August 2013.
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) June 5, 2015
Copyright © 2015 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Continue reading...
America never surrenders.
The United States Men's National Team earned their first-ever win against the Netherlands in jaw-dropping fashion on Friday, stringing together three late goals, including a 90th-minute winner from unlikely hero Bobby Wood, to exit Amsterdam Arena with a resounding 4-3 friendly win.
Since last year's World Cup, Jurgen Klinsmann's side have struggled in the latter stages of friendlies, conceding late goals against Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia, Chile, Denmark, and Switzerland over the past months.
All that feels like the distant past, however, as Friday's late heroics were a reminder of the never-say-die attitude that embodied the USMNT at the past two World Cups.
Gyasi Zardes, featuring in an unfamiliar role on the left flank, was the story of the first half. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar opened the scoring in the 27th minute after Zardes, who had already squandered a number of chances, gave Memphis Depay all the time in the world to pick out his target.
But then, in the 33rd minute, the blonde-haired forward silenced the haters.
After Fabian Johnson launched a dangerous ball across the Dutch penalty area, an on-rushing Zardes got the outside of his right foot on the ball to score his first-ever goal for the USMNT and level the score at 1-1.
Going into the second half, there were obviously concerns over whether Klinsmann's squad would fall victim to another late-game collapse ...
Mandatory halftime tweet: #USMNT has outscored opponents 12-4 in the 1st half post-World Cup, but been outscored 12-3 in the 2nd half.
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) June 5, 2015
... and it took minutes for the breakdown to begin. Huntelaar headed home his second goal of the friendly following a precision-perfect cross from Gregory van der Wiel, and four minutes later, Depay got his name on the scoreboard, deflecting a shot from Huntelaar into the back of the net.
All of a sudden, it was 3-1 and the USMNT appeared to be on the verge of another post-World Cup defeat.
Cue the comeback.
Exactly 335 days since he scored his first international goal at the World Cup to five the USMNT a 2-1 win versus Ghana, John Anthony Brooks cut the Netherlands' lead in half in the 70th minute with his second international goal, slotting home an accurate pass from DeAndre Yedlin, who had only entered the match moments earlier as a replacement for Brek Shea.
John Anthony Brooks. 3-2 Holland #USAvNED #USA
Down 3-2 and fueled by Yedlin's presence on the pitch, the USMNT then found their sorely desired equaliser in the 89th minute, when Daniel Williams lashed a shot from outside the Netherlands' penalty area past Jasper Cillessen via a deflection.
Williams
And it didn't end there.
In what had seemed like an unimaginable scenario only 20 minutes earlier, Bobby Wood, who many supporters believe has no place in international football, proved the doubters wrong, scoring a stoppage-time winner to complete the comeback and give the USMNT their first victory against the Netherlands in five meetings.
Bobby Wood makes it 4-3 to the #USMNT in the 90th
4-3. Game over. Just try and stop America.
4 - This is the first time #USMNT have scored four goals in a game since August of 2013, a run of 26 games between. Quartet.
— OptaJack (@OptaJack) June 5, 2015
Since 2000, the only other time #USMNT had won after trailing by 2+ goals was at Bosnia-Herzegovina in August 2013.
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) June 5, 2015
Copyright © 2015 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Continue reading...
