The Women’s World Cup and the Champions League final aren’t the only exciting soccer events to enjoy this week.
The summer schedule of international friendlies is underway, and the next great matchup is the United States men’s national team taking on European power the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
The U.S. will start a lot of young players in this game. Here’s the starting lineup.
Goalkeeper: Brad Guzan
Defenders: Brek Shea, Ventura Alvarado, John Brooks, Timmy Chandler
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Alfredo Morales
Forwards: Fabian Johnson, Aron Johannsson, Gyasi Zardes
The Dutch are using a few senior players, including Manchester United players Robin van Persie and Daley Blind. The Netherlands have outscored the U.S. 7-1 in their last four meetings.
Here’s the Netherlands’ starting XI.
Goalkeeper: Jasper Cillessen
Defenders: Daley Blind, Martins Indi, Jeffrey Bruma, Daryl Janmaat
Midfielders: Jordy Clasie, Robin van Persie, Georginio Wijnaldum
Forwards: Memphis Depay, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Quincy Promes
Keep it right here for live commentary, highlights and analysis of USA-Netherlands.
First Minute, 0-0: We’re underway!
Second Minute, 0-0: The Netherlands have registered their first shot — a blast from 20 yards, but Brad Guzan smothers it.
12th Minute, 0-0: The U.S. is on the attack early on.
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15th Minute, 0-0: The U.S. is awarded its first corner kick, and the ball in is cleared out behind the goal line for another corner.
On the second corner, a miscommunication by two Dutch defenders in the box allows Gyasi Zardes to have a shot on goal from about eight yards, but it’s aimed right at the goalkeeper. It’s the best scoring chance of the game so far.
19th Minute, 0-0: Poor defending from Holland allows Michael Bradley to unleash a shot from outside the box. He beats Jasper Cillessen, but the ball rattles off the right post and falls to Fabian Johson, who hits the outside of the left post with his rebound attempt. Johnson was offside, though.
Very encouraging opening 20 minutes for the U.S.
21st Minute, 0-0: Break Shea sprints down the left wing and into the box, but his shot is saved by Cillessen. Too many U.S. shots are being struck right at Cillessen.
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24th Minute, 0-0: The Dutch work a set play off a corner to a wide-open Daley Blind at the top of the 18-yard box, but his shot is deflected over the net for another corner. The U.S. clears the second corner attempt.
25th Minute, 0-0: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar receives a good flick and takes the ball into the box, but John Brooks is able to recover and blocks his shot out of bounds for a throw-in.
27th Minute, 1-0 Netherlands: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar beats John Brooks and Ventura Alvarado to a great cross from Memphis Depay and uses his head to guide the ball past Brad Guzan from six yards out. It’s Huntelaar’s 40th career international goal.
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32nd Minute, 1-0 Netherlands: Holland is still on the attack. Robin van Persie has two shots blocked, and a third by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is deflected out for a corner.
34th Minute, 1-1: Gyasi Zardes equalizes for the U.S., connecting with a right-footed half-volley at the near post off a fantastic cross from Fabian Johnson. It’s Zardes’ first international goal.
40th Minute, 1-1: We’ve had a great pace to the first half.
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42nd Minute, 1-1: The U.S. is starting to control more possession after primarily using counter attacks for most of the first half.
45th Minute, 1-1: Holland took the lead, but the goal was waved off because of a foul on a U.S. defender in the box leading up to the goal. Georginio Wijnaldum was the Dutch player who scored, and he’s livid at the referee for the no-goal decision.
45th +1, 1-1: Memphis Depay fires wide on a shot to the right of Brad Guzan inside the box. That’s the final play of the first half.
End of First Half, 1-1: An encouraging 45 minutes for the Americans. They should have a great chance at their first win against Holland if they clean up some defensive mistakes.
Shots: Netherlands 12-8
Shots on Goal: U.S. 5-3
Fouls: Netherlands 6-3
Possession: Netherlands 61 percent, U.S. 39 percent
46th Minute, 1-1: The second half is underway!
47th Minute, 1-1: Robin van Persie leaps over John Brooks to win a header from six yards out, but the attempt is drected right at Brad Guzan. Another case of poor defending by Brooks.
49th Minute, 2-1 Netherlands: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar runs straight toward goal and connects on a header off another good cross from outside the box. It’s his second goal of the game.
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52nd Minute, 2-1 Netherlands: John Brooks directs a header into the net, but the goal is waved off because of a Gyasi Zardes foul in the box.
53rd Minute, 3-1 Netherlands: After a save by Brad Guzan, the Netherlands works the ball back to the edge of the 18-yard box, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar fires a shot that takes a deflection and sails past Guzan. The goal is credited to Memphis Depay.
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56th Minute, 3-1 Netherlands: The U.S. makes two substitutions — Mix Diskerud on for Alfredo Morales, and DeAndre Yedlin on for Brek Shea. Dutch striker Robin van Persie is replaced by Davy Propper.
63rd Minute, 3-1 Netherlands: Another good cross results in an excellent scoring chance for the Netherlands, but Brad Guzan makes a phenomenal right leg save on a shot from six yards out.
The U.S. makes another substitution, as Dany Williams enters the game for Kyle Beckerman.
64th Minute, 3-1 Netherlands: Gyasi Zardes connects on a cross and fires a low-driven shot right at Jasper Cillessen. A good opportunity for the American attack.
70th Minute, 3-2 Netherlands: Michael Bradley leads the attack with a good through ball into the box for DeAndre Yedlin, who slides a cross to John Brooks for the easy tap-in goal from about six yards out. Good pace and passing on the buildup to that goal. It’s also the second international goal of Brooks’ career.
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78th Minute, 3-2 Netherlands:Â Substitutions for Holland.
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81st Minute, 3-2 Netherlands: Max Diskerud’s shot from the edge of the 18-yard box sails just wide of the right post. The U.S. is doing everything possible to find the equalizer.
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83rd Minute, 3-2 Netherlands: Daley Blind sends a pass across the six-yard line to De Jong, but he overruns the ball and is unable to get a shot off. Fabian Johnson’s clearing attempt nearly ends up as an own goal, but the ball slams off the right post and out.
85th Minute, 3-2 Netherlands: The U.S. is awarded a free kick from 25 yards out, but the attempt is drilled right into the Dutch wall.
88th Minute, 3-2 Netherlands: Jordan Morris receives a long pass and dribbles into the box, but his shot is saved by Jasper Cillessen and out for a corner.
88th Minute, 3-3: A U.S. corner is cleared to the 18-yard box, where Danny Williams fires a shot that deflects off a Dutch defender and into the net for the tying goal.
90th Minute, 3-3: De Jong’s shot from nine yards out is saved, and then his rebound attempt goes off the crossbar. A glorious chance for the Dutch.
Three minutes of stoppage time to come.
90th Minute, 4-3 USA: The Americans have taken a late lead!
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93rd Minute, USA wins 4-3: The U.S. has defeated the Netherlands for the first time. A crazy last five minutes that featured two American goals was enough to complete a fantastic comeback.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@SoloGoles
