SportsMall makes its predictions for the international friendly match between the Netherlands and the USA in Amsterdam.
of Netherlands After a two-month break, he returned to action on Friday. united states of america At an international friendly match held at the Amsterdam Arena.
It will be the first of two tough tests for the U.S. before facing world champion Germany next week.
Netherlands
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The Dutch national team can look to extend their unbeaten streak in all competitions to four games when they host the United States on Friday.
Guus HiddinkThe team has won two of their last three games, including a 2-0 win over Spain in their last friendly on March 31, giving them a confidence boost.
However, their inconsistent performance so far in Euro 2016 qualification has cast doubt on their chances of qualifying for next year's tournament. After winning two of their opening five games, the Netherlands sit third in Group A, five points behind second-placed Iceland.
In the last qualifier, we were lucky to earn a 1-1 draw with Turkey thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Wesley Sneijder, and we shared a point.
Following the match against the USA, the Netherlands face a crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against Latvia on 12 June – a match they cannot afford to lose if they want to stay in the running for qualification.
One player who could be a focus of attention if selected on Friday is a forward. Memphis DepayThe 21-year-old recently agreed a move to Manchester United after helping PSV Eindhoven win the Eredivisie. Marco van Basten He describes the youngster as a “special talent”, but his figures of just two goals in 15 games suggest he is yet to come into his own at international level.
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united states of america
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The U.S. faces the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Friday in the first of two intriguing friendlies. Jurgen KlinsmannThe men's team will face world champions Germany in Cologne in just five days.
The U.S. national team has been busy since their impressive run at the 2014 World Cup, playing 10 friendlies in a nine-month span.
Their performance during that time has been inconsistent, with three wins, three draws and four losses against teams such as Mexico, Switzerland, Denmark and Panama.
In the last game, Jordan Morris Juan Agudelo Both players scored for Texas.
Klinsmann will be hoping that friendlies against the Netherlands and Germany will help prepare his players well for next month's 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, a tournament the United States has won five times.
“Playing against top teams like Germany and Holland is a valuable experience, especially for the younger players,” said the former striker. source“They have to understand that increasingly we will be going head-to-head with these enemies.”
After such a good World Cup performance, it would be surprising if the United States leaves Europe without at least one positive result of their efforts by next weekend.
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Team news
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Manager Guus Hiddink is expected to field strong players such as Memphis Depay in the match. Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Both are likely to play a role.
But the Wolfsburg striker Bas Dost A hamstring injury forced him to withdraw from the national team and no replacement has been called up.
Coach Jurgen Klinsmann has selected a mix of young and experienced players for the matches against the Netherlands and Germany, with eight players having 10 or fewer caps and nine with 20 or more appearances.
Jozy Altidore and Alejandro Bedoya They will miss the game due to hamstring and knee issues, respectively. Clint Dempsey He too is missing out as he awaits the birth of his fourth child.
Netherlands predicted starting line-up:
Vermeer; Janmaat, de Vrij, Martins Indy, Willems; Depay, Blind, Sneijder; Narsingh, Huntelaar, Lens
Projected USA starting lineup:
Guzan, Yedlin, Alvarado, Brooks, Chandler, Beckerman, Diskerud, Bradley, Williams, Agudelo, Zardes
Face to face
The two teams have met twice before, with the U.S. coming up short on wins both times.
The Netherlands won a 2-1 friendly in 2010, but the first meeting between the two teams at the 2008 Olympics ended in a 2-2 draw.
I predict Netherlands 2-1 USA will win
The USA travel to Amsterdam confident of causing an upset against the Netherlands, but the hosts will be desperate for a win before a crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against Latvia. It could be a close match between two proud nations, but if the Netherlands can show quality in key positions they have a good chance of winning.
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