This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2015/jun/05/holland-usa-soccer-international-friendly-live
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Holland v USA – live! | Holland v USA – live! |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 19 min: Now Holland’s turn – Janmaat got forward well down the right, but his cross evaded everyone. Blind almost forced it, but couldn’t quite get his shot off, and USA survive. Klinsmann, looking every inch the 50-year-old Abercrombie model, is agitated. And Bradley hits the post! The USA broke down the left, and Bradley took his shot from the edge of the box early, and it spun and bobbled, but came off the inside of the post! Johnson then hit the other post, but it was offside. USA with the best chances so far! | |
| 17 min: Lovely balled whipped across the face by Promes. No one went for it though. And Depay fed Wijnaldum on the edge, but that’s a great tackle by Alvorado. Getting better, is this. | |
| 16 min: Depay got a whack there. He’s limping, but he’ll be OK. (Incidentally, have you seen Depay’s abs? They’re chronic! He’s obviously doing his crunches.) | |
| Corner for USA. Zardes came in – Cillessen was all at sea, although maybe he was being held by Johansson – and it’s another corner! And what a chance for Zardes! That was an absolute comedy by Holland in defence: like the Keystone Cops, as Mark Lawrenson would say. They couldn’t clear it – RVP and Bruma went for the same ball – and Zardes swivelled and hit it. Straight at Cillessen though. Chance! | |
| 13 min: Charles Antaki is a purist: “Oh! Some football! What with various recent events in its global administration, I’d sort of assumed it had been cancelled. Great. I don’t suppose many of us are that bothered about USA vs the Netherlands, but play on.” | |
| Bradley drives forward and feeds Chandler, but his cross is bad, and straight outta play. Shame. | |
| 11 min: I love how full-backs are referred to in America as “outside-backs”. They can’t stop Depay cutting in, though, and his short pass to Wijnaldum prompts another test for Guzan. Easy stuff so far, though: they Feyenoord man didn’t really get hold of it. | |
| 9 min: A giant agricultural mow by Martins Indi on Johansson. He was never getting the ball, so Martins Indi just kicked him up the arse. Bradley tries a daisy-cutter from 25 yards that Cillessen saves, but that’s better from USA: they’re stepping up higher and disrupting Holland’s rhythm. | |
| 7 min: That’s a push by Depay on Chandler. The free-kick is headed clear, and Morales hammers it goalwards. It’s wide by about a million yards. I think it’s fair to say that this match hasn’t quite caught fire so far. | |
| 5 min: USA sitting deep. Huntelaar wins a free-kick in a decent position 40 yards from goal on the right. Van Persie takes, Guzan claims. Guzan is starting for just the fifth time in the last 40 interantionals. Is he any good? Tim Howard, of course, is on sabbatical. Does he have to show US Soccer what he’s accomplished during his time off? | |
| 3 min: Chandler gives it straight to Wijnaldum, who returns the favour. Johan Cruyff must be going spare. But that’s better from Holland: Depay cuts in from the right – Chandler blocks the shot – and then Janmaat stings Guzan’s palms from range. | |
| 1 min: What a start for Holland: under no pressure, Jeffrey Bruma hammers it into row Z. Hello football! | |
| On the Holland bench, Danny Blind is rolling up his sleeves. Ruud van Nistelrooy has a closely trimmed beard. Guus looks relaxed. | |
| They’re playing the anthems – the Star-Spangled banner first. (A difficult song to sing: the range is so vast.) | |
| The ground is full. What a fabulous soccer nation Holland is. | |
| We’re just a few minutes away! The roof is closed – it’s pissing down in Amsterdam. | |
| Brad Guzan is playing his first game of 2015. He really struggled at the end of the season with Villa, and had his place in the team taken by Shay Given, 56. Also, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore are missing for the | |
| USMNT | |
| USA, meaning the USA strikers have just seven international goals between them. By contrast, Robin van Persie has 49 in 96, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 39 in 71. What a star Huntelaar is. So underrated. | |
| Former USA and Tottenham No 1 Kasey Keller says: “These are the types of games Jurgen Klinsmann loves to push on his players. It’s an opportunity for these young players to prove they belong at these levels.” | |
| My colleague Maraithe asks: “Where’s Robben?” | My colleague Maraithe asks: “Where’s Robben?” |
| Robben is injured. He was struggling last season, came back against Dortmund in the German Cup semi-final, but then limped off again with a calf injury. | Robben is injured. He was struggling last season, came back against Dortmund in the German Cup semi-final, but then limped off again with a calf injury. |
| What a player, though, porcelain bones notwithstanding. When slaloming past defenders at top speed, he’s such a thrilling sight. Provocative question of the day No 2: would Robben be rated higher if he weren’t bald? | What a player, though, porcelain bones notwithstanding. When slaloming past defenders at top speed, he’s such a thrilling sight. Provocative question of the day No 2: would Robben be rated higher if he weren’t bald? |
| Tweet me and email with your considered responses! | Tweet me and email with your considered responses! |
| Here’s the tactical line-up for Holland: | Here’s the tactical line-up for Holland: |
| Bondscoach Guus Hiddink start het oefenduel tegen @USsoccer met de volgende opstelling. #NEDUSA pic.twitter.com/bl7uRqEdLw | Bondscoach Guus Hiddink start het oefenduel tegen @USsoccer met de volgende opstelling. #NEDUSA pic.twitter.com/bl7uRqEdLw |
| So RVP starts deeper, and Depay on the left. Expect Daley Blind to get forward also. | So RVP starts deeper, and Depay on the left. Expect Daley Blind to get forward also. |
| A pic from training: Jordy Clasie, Robin van Persie, Gregory van der Wiel. Lads on tour! | A pic from training: Jordy Clasie, Robin van Persie, Gregory van der Wiel. Lads on tour! |
| Tactical insight from the official Twitter feed of the USA team. As an aside, USMNT must be the worst acronym in professional sports. Maybe Team GB. | Tactical insight from the official Twitter feed of the USA team. As an aside, USMNT must be the worst acronym in professional sports. Maybe Team GB. |
| #USMNT deploys in a 4-3-3 formation. Beckerman sits behind Bradley & Morales. Johnson on the right, Zardes the left & Johannsson up high. | #USMNT deploys in a 4-3-3 formation. Beckerman sits behind Bradley & Morales. Johnson on the right, Zardes the left & Johannsson up high. |
| The teams are in! New Man Utd superstar Memphis Depay starts for Holland; Michael Bradley captains USA. | The teams are in! New Man Utd superstar Memphis Depay starts for Holland; Michael Bradley captains USA. |
| Holland: Cillessen; Janmaat, Bruma, Martins Indi, Blind; Clasie, Wijnaldum; Promes, van Persie, Depay; Huntelaar | Holland: Cillessen; Janmaat, Bruma, Martins Indi, Blind; Clasie, Wijnaldum; Promes, van Persie, Depay; Huntelaar |
| USA: Guzan; Shea, Brooks, Alvarado, Chandler; Morales, Beckerman, Bradley; Zardes, Johannsson, Johnson. | USA: Guzan; Shea, Brooks, Alvarado, Chandler; Morales, Beckerman, Bradley; Zardes, Johannsson, Johnson. |
| USA’s 2015 has been a bit like the curate’s egg: good in parts. Victories over Mexico and Panama, a creditable draw against the Swiss, and losses against Chile and a Nicklas Bendtner-inspired Denmark. | USA’s 2015 has been a bit like the curate’s egg: good in parts. Victories over Mexico and Panama, a creditable draw against the Swiss, and losses against Chile and a Nicklas Bendtner-inspired Denmark. |
| (Actually, I think that might be the wrong use of curate’s egg. @guardianstyle, help!) | (Actually, I think that might be the wrong use of curate’s egg. @guardianstyle, help!) |
| "Aggro" is what football fans typically promise their rivals, and it stands for aggravation. A lot of aggravation. https://t.co/TMn8ngWmPe | "Aggro" is what football fans typically promise their rivals, and it stands for aggravation. A lot of aggravation. https://t.co/TMn8ngWmPe |
| Here’s round-faced Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. Never a workaholic, he loves cappuccinos and riding his motorbike. (That’s true!) | Here’s round-faced Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. Never a workaholic, he loves cappuccinos and riding his motorbike. (That’s true!) |
| But his second spell as Holland coach hasn’t been so good: since the World Cup, he’s lost half his eight games – to Italy, Czech Republic, Iceland and Mexico – and only won three. Must do better, Guus! | But his second spell as Holland coach hasn’t been so good: since the World Cup, he’s lost half his eight games – to Italy, Czech Republic, Iceland and Mexico – and only won three. Must do better, Guus! |
| If you only read one thing today, make it this, by Simon Kuper of the Financial Times, about how Johan Cruyff, the father of Dutch football, invented modern soccer. It’s brilliant. | If you only read one thing today, make it this, by Simon Kuper of the Financial Times, about how Johan Cruyff, the father of Dutch football, invented modern soccer. It’s brilliant. |
| Cruyff best explained this in a 1980s TV programme that compared football to ballet. Initially, he had had no desire to debate the gay ballet choreographer Rudi van Dantzig but he rapidly got into it. | Cruyff best explained this in a 1980s TV programme that compared football to ballet. Initially, he had had no desire to debate the gay ballet choreographer Rudi van Dantzig but he rapidly got into it. |
| While he was lecturing Van Dantzig on how when the first man was passing to the second man, the third man already had to be running to receive the second man’s pass, Van Dantzig interrupted: “So it’s choreography?” “Exactly!” said Cruyff. | While he was lecturing Van Dantzig on how when the first man was passing to the second man, the third man already had to be running to receive the second man’s pass, Van Dantzig interrupted: “So it’s choreography?” “Exactly!” said Cruyff. |
| Cruyffian football is a dance for space. The British tended to think football was about willpower, Brazilians bet on the dribble and the Germans on fitness but they were wrong and Cruyff was right. | Cruyffian football is a dance for space. The British tended to think football was about willpower, Brazilians bet on the dribble and the Germans on fitness but they were wrong and Cruyff was right. |
| More from Simon here. | More from Simon here. |
| Hi! To some club managers motivated by naked self-interest, international friendlies are about as welcome as a tape recorder a Fifa executive committee drinks party. But don’t listen to the cynics: we love them. And this one could be a goodie – two decent teams, two high-profile coaches, under the (red?) lights in Amsterdam. And to add an extra layer of complexity, these two have, as New Yorkers never tire of telling their shrinks, issues. | Hi! To some club managers motivated by naked self-interest, international friendlies are about as welcome as a tape recorder a Fifa executive committee drinks party. But don’t listen to the cynics: we love them. And this one could be a goodie – two decent teams, two high-profile coaches, under the (red?) lights in Amsterdam. And to add an extra layer of complexity, these two have, as New Yorkers never tire of telling their shrinks, issues. |
| Holland are in a Euro 2016 qualifying funk: they’re five points back of Iceland and six shy of the Czechs, having lost against both already – and looked rubbish while doing so. Given that just the top two are guaranteed qualification for next year’s tournament, Holland need to shape up and look sharp, and they have to win in Latvia next Friday to stay in the mix. They did beat Spain in their last game in March, though, so maybe Hiddink’s lot are on the up. | Holland are in a Euro 2016 qualifying funk: they’re five points back of Iceland and six shy of the Czechs, having lost against both already – and looked rubbish while doing so. Given that just the top two are guaranteed qualification for next year’s tournament, Holland need to shape up and look sharp, and they have to win in Latvia next Friday to stay in the mix. They did beat Spain in their last game in March, though, so maybe Hiddink’s lot are on the up. |
| (Here’s my compelling thesis about Holland at the World Cup: for a team that finished third, they were rubbish! Let’s look at the evidence: against Spain, a mad second half aside, they were basically crap. Crap against Australia, crap against Chile, really crap against Mexico, appalling against Costa Rica, crap against Argentina, quite good against Brazil.) | (Here’s my compelling thesis about Holland at the World Cup: for a team that finished third, they were rubbish! Let’s look at the evidence: against Spain, a mad second half aside, they were basically crap. Crap against Australia, crap against Chile, really crap against Mexico, appalling against Costa Rica, crap against Argentina, quite good against Brazil.) |
| Discuss! | Discuss! |
| Meanwhile, USA coach Jürgen Klinsmann is still trying to fiddle his roster for the Gold Cup, the biennial Concacaf jamboree that begins in the USA and Canada in July. On home soil , it’s the USA’s to lose – Panama or Haiti probably aren’t going to go all the way – but only 23 names can make the cut, and Klinsi, as Landon Donovan will attest, is not one for sentiment. | Meanwhile, USA coach Jürgen Klinsmann is still trying to fiddle his roster for the Gold Cup, the biennial Concacaf jamboree that begins in the USA and Canada in July. On home soil , it’s the USA’s to lose – Panama or Haiti probably aren’t going to go all the way – but only 23 names can make the cut, and Klinsi, as Landon Donovan will attest, is not one for sentiment. |
| It’s a bun fight for the USA roster, and today’s game, plus Monday’s fixture against Germany, should go some way towards forcing Klinsi’s hand. Besides, USA love to play European sides – it’s a nice change of pace from facing insurrectionist central American nations. Kick off is at 2.30pm ET, 7.30pm BST. Join us! | It’s a bun fight for the USA roster, and today’s game, plus Monday’s fixture against Germany, should go some way towards forcing Klinsi’s hand. Besides, USA love to play European sides – it’s a nice change of pace from facing insurrectionist central American nations. Kick off is at 2.30pm ET, 7.30pm BST. Join us! |
| Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, read Richard Whittall’s MLS weekend preview, where many top clubs are missing their stars: | Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, read Richard Whittall’s MLS weekend preview, where many top clubs are missing their stars: |
| No Michael Bradley for Toronto FC, no Juan Agudelo for the New England Revolution, and no Brek Shea for Orlando City, among others. Though there will be the usual hemming and hawing about the Major League Soccer’s incongruity with the rest of the football calendar, the level of parity in both conferences right now mean this isn’t exactly a crucial time in MLS. | No Michael Bradley for Toronto FC, no Juan Agudelo for the New England Revolution, and no Brek Shea for Orlando City, among others. Though there will be the usual hemming and hawing about the Major League Soccer’s incongruity with the rest of the football calendar, the level of parity in both conferences right now mean this isn’t exactly a crucial time in MLS. |
| Instead, nervous club supporters will be left praying their various stars will manage to avoid injury. So, the usual. | Instead, nervous club supporters will be left praying their various stars will manage to avoid injury. So, the usual. |
| More from Richard here. | More from Richard here. |