Netherlands' Poor Defending Costs Them Late vs. the United States
Under a closed roof at the Amsterdam Arena, the United States toppled the Netherlands 4-3 in an expansive, surprising international friendly.
The game's first half ended 1-1, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of the Netherlands and Gyasi Zardes of the U.S. opening the scoring for their respective nations. Near the half's conclusion, Georginio Wijnaldum had a goal disallowed for a foul on Timothy Chandler, which proved a crucial moment in the match's eventual outcome.
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In the game's second half, Huntelaar put his country up 2-1 after 49 minutes, scoring his second headed goal from an expertly placed cross.
Oranje then took a 3-1 lead in the 53rd minute from a Huntelaar shot deflected goalward by Memphis Depay, and the game's result looked an absolute certainty, but the U.S. men's national team never gave up on the fixture.
John Brooks pulled a goal back in the 70th minute—from a relative tap-in—making the scoreline 3-2. For the next 19 minutes, coming to stoppage time, the game was slowly creeping towards the expected finish, but the United States rallied once again.
Daniel Williams, in the 89th minute, scored via deflection from the edge of Oranje's box, leveling the friendly at three goals apiece. A draw would have been a fair result for U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann's men—who were unlucky not to be winning in the first half—but the Americans were not happy with a stalemate.
One minute after Williams' strike, substitute Bobby Wood latched on to a Jordan Morris cross, sealing an unexpected 4-3 victory in Amsterdam.
Ranked sixth in the FIFA's world rankings, the Netherlands are possibly the most classy outfit on the ball in European football. Their slick movement, exceptional positioning and depth are sure to give any nation defensive issues.
With Oranje's possession-oriented style, however, comes worrying complacency on defense.
Zardes' first senior goal on an international level came from woeful defending at the back post, Brooks' goal came from the Dutch failing to track the mammoth centre-half's bursting run into the penalty area and Wood's winner was down to shambolic marking in the 18-yard box.
Netherlands manager Guus Hiddink's men played the better football—as they tend to do every time they grace a football pitch—but games are won with goals, not possession and mouth-watering movement.
As the Dutch prepare for Latvia in UEFA Euro 2016 qualification on 12 June, they must sort the balance between attacking and defending. Third in their qualifying group behind Iceland and the Czech Republic, Hiddink cannot afford to drop points versus the Latvians and expect smooth sailing without a play-off.
Klinsmann, conversely, has another feather in his cap. Playing his native Germany in a friendly on 10 June, beating the Netherlands will certainly give the American manager confidence facing FIFA's top-ranked national team next week.
A friendly victory can be taken in two ways.
The first: Because the game was of no consequence, the outcome is irrelevant and all that matters is the way one's team played. USMNT will not subscribe to this interpretation; the Netherlands will.
The second: No game is played to lose, and if you win—friendly or not—the game is worth more than fitness and experience.
Staring Germany in the face, the latter interpretation will be taken by Klinsmann after four improbable goals in Amsterdam were enough to dispatch Hiddink's scattered Dutchmen.
Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase where not noted.
