If there is going to be a friendly match there might as well be a couple of goals scored. What is even better is when the team one roots for wins.

While there is much that can be learned from goalless boring exhibitions it is nice to have a couple of goals to gin up interest in a match and get a victory. No title is won and the only rankings available are those from an organization whose standings are a bit nebulous. But for the United States after a difficult beginning to their 2015 campaign a first-ever victory in the Netherlands is certainly an achievement to hang one’s hat on. A late goal by Bobby Wood capped off a wild match and ultimately the 4-3 victory.

Things did not start well for the Americans at the Amsterdam arena. Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar started the scoring barrage early with an exquisite finish off of a Memphis Depay cross in the 22nd minute. Depay, who will be moving to Manchester United once the European transfer window opens later this month, was given ample space by USA forward Gyassi Zardes to hit a ball that only The Hunter could reach.

Zardes would make up for his mistake in the 28th minute when his half-volley would go past Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillissen. USA midfielder Fabian Johnson laid in the cross for Zardes to finish, giving him his first-ever international goal.

The Dutch would go ahead once again in the second half with Huntelaar getting his fortieth international goal. His second goal was very similar to the first in that it was a in-swinging cross against a U.S. defender giving ample space to exploit. The players were a bit different with Dutch defender Gregory van der Wiel providing the service and U.S. defender John Anthony Brooks proving to be the goat. The goal tied Patrick Kluivert for the all-time lead for the Netherlands for goals.

Depay would make the lead 3-1 in the 53rd minute. Now normally at this point in a friendly things would kind of settle and both teams would go half-speed for the remaining half an hour plus.  But a series of events would turn this match on its head.

First, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann would introduce Deandre Yedlin in the 57th minute. Yedlin would replace Brek Shea as left-back and would use his speed to throw off the Dutch defense. Yedlin, along with the substitutions of Danny Williams and Bobby Wood in the 63rd and 65th minute respectively would provide life the U.S. attack.

In the 70th minute the United States would narrow the gap to 3-2 when Yedlin and Williams would help set up John Anthony Brooks for his second international goal. Yedlin’s cross into Brooks was near perfect with Brooks being able to use his size advantage to leap over the Dutch defense.

The equalizer would come in the 89th minute when Williams would hit a bullet on target that would deflect off of a Dutch defender but still land in the back of the net. The goal was Williams’ first with the United States.

Just one minute later, Bobby Wood would cap off the rally low shot past Cillissen. He was set up off of an excellent counter-attack orchestrated by Williams and midfielder Michael Bradley. Bradley’s pass outside to Jordan Morris opened the Dutch defense and gave Wood the space to center his shot. Much like Zardes and Williams, his goal in the 90th minute was his first with the U.S.A.

The United States has one more match in their European adventure, a friendly Wednesday against Germany. They will begin play at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup on July the 7th.

The Netherlands meanwhile will take on Latvia in a European Championship Qualifier on Wednesday.