Wesley Sneijder Scores Rocket Goal In Netherlands’ Loss To Mexico (GIF)

Fans of Mexico’s national soccer team have seen Wesley Sneijder score goals like this before.

Sneijder scored a thunderous goal Wednesday in Netherlands’ 3-2 exhibition loss to Mexico. Sneijder’s strike was similar to the one he scored last summer in the Netherlands’ 2-1 win over “El Tri” — as Mexico’s national team is commonly known — in the Round of 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The Netherlands was trailing 1-0 early in the second half, when a Mexican defender’s clearing header fell to Sneijder. The Dutch midfielder punished the visitors by controlling the ball with his first touch and rocketing a half-volley past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.

Wesley Sneijder Netherlands Mexico

The goal was Sneijder’s 28th in 110 games for the Netherlands.

Sneijder’s goal canceled out Carlos Vela’s sensational opener, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide of the game. Vela doubled his personal tally with a 62nd minute goal, and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez netted the eventual game winner seven minutes later.

Sneijder merely opened up old wounds from last summer’s encounter. He scored the game-tying goal in the 88th minute of the teams’ World Cup meeting. The stakes were much higher then, but the hurt remains.