Late Rally Lifts U.S. Men's National Team To Stunning Win Over The Netherlands
AMSTERDAM (CBSNewYork/AP) — Danny Williams scored in the 88th minute and Bobby Wood in the 90th, capping a comeback from a two-goal second-half deficit and leading the United States over the Netherlands 4-3 on Friday night for the Americans' first win against the Dutch.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored on headers in the 27th and 49th minutes in the exhibition and assisted on Memphis Depay's 53rd-minute goal as the sixth-ranked Netherlands built a 3-1 lead.
MORE: Women's World Cup Primer
Gyasi Zardes got his first international goal in the 33rd as the U.S. reached halftime in a 1-1 tie despite having just 39 percent possession.
John Brooks cut the U.S. deficit in the 70th minute with a tap-in past goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen after U.S. captain Michael Bradley sent the ball wide to DeAndre Yedlin, who then centered.
Williams, who entered in the 63rd minute, tied the score following a corner kick when he reached a failed clearance and his 20-yard shot deflected in off the foot of Luuk De Jong and then the crossbat.
Wood, who came in in the 65th, slotted in a right-footed shot from 4 yards after Bradley brought the ball up the center of the field and passed to Jordan Morris, who then cut the ball back. They were the first international goals for Williams and Wood, both far down on the American depth chart.
"I was lucky that my shot deflected at the end," said Williams, who plays for second-tier Reading in England. "It's an absolutely fantastic feeling to win against Holland in Amsterdam."
Wood, whose Erzgebirge Aue club was relegated to the German third division, was making just his seventh appearance for the U.S.
The Americans, ranked 27th, had been 0-4 against the Dutch coming in and had been outscored 7-1. They play at world champion Germany on Wednesday in their next-to-last game before starting the defense of their CONCACAF Gold Cup title.
U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann previously led the Americans to their first win against Italy and their first victory at Mexico.
Huntelaar's goals raised his total to 41 in 72 international matches, moving one ahead of Patrick Kluivert for second place on the Dutch scoring list. Dutch captain Robin van Persie, who leads with 49, could not put the ball past goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Guzan made his first national team appearance since November and has been announced as the U.S. starter at the Gold Cup.
The U.S. was missing 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 and watched from the stands.
The Netherlands was without Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, whose season was ended by a calf injury. The Dutch play a European Championship qualifier at Latvia next Friday and are third in Group A after five matches.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
