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

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 score for The Netherlands from twelve yards after about 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.

Oranje started the match with attacking intentions, but were unable to find an opening in the American defence in the opening minutes of the game.

Nevertheless, in the 8th minute, Eljero Elia beat Jonathan Spector near the goal to get off a cross that led to a van der Weil shot, but Tim Howard was able to handle it well. Inter playmaker Wesley Sneijder was next in line to test the American goalie, but Howard saw his shot coming and deflected the ball over the cross-bar.

Stuart Holden was forced to leave the pitch after 30 minutes of play following a reckless challenge of Nigel de Jong, who was shown the yellow card for his harsh tackle. In the minute of play following Holden's injury, Jose Torres cracked a shot towards towards the net that didn't miss by much, ushering the best run of possession for the USA in the match.

Again Sneijder was awarded 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 Feyenoord star slotted home with ease.

Sneijder kept on causing the American defence problems after the break. He set up pacey winger Eljero Elia with a superb pass, but the Hamburger SV winger 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.

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 cross for Carlos Bocanegra and the Stade Rennais defender beat his marker to the ball before heading home from close range.

Clarence Goodson got a huge chance to help his side to a draw well into stoppage time, but the Start defender aimed too high and the chance went begging.