Netherlands Scores 2-1 Comeback Win vs. Turkey at 2019 Nike Friendlies

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (Nov. 16, 2019) – The Netherlands scored twice in the final 11 minutes to erase a one-goal deficit and register a dramatic 2-1 victory over Turkey on Match Day Two of the 19th annual Nike International Friendlies at the Premier Sports Campus on Saturday.

Myron van Brederode snapped a 1-1 deadlock in the 89th minute, connecting from 10 yards to boost the Dutch (1-0-1, 4pts) atop the group, at least temporarily, pending the result of the match between the U.S. Under-17 (1-0-0, 3) and U-16 (0-0-1, 1) teams in the nightcap of the doubleheader. Turkey (0-2-0, 0) is winless.

The Dutch rested all but three of their players from their 3-3 draw with the U.S. U-16 Boys’ National Team on Thursday as Xavi Simons, the mastermind of the squad's attack, Youri Baas and Denzel Owusu remined in the Starting XI.

Turkey, on the other hand, deployed seven starters from its 1-0 loss to the U.S. U-17 side on Thursday night.

Despite playing into the wind, the Netherlands established a sizable territorial advantage, but struggled to place quality opportunities on net in the early going. In fact, neither side put a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

The Turks' first close encounter came eight minutes into the second half when Ahmetcan Kaplan fired a shot that barely missed the right post.

They were much more on target in the 58th minute as Bartug Elmaz set up a free kick outside the left side of the penalty area after the Netherlands' Guus Baars was awarded a yellow card for a hard tackle. Elmaz sent a line drive toward the goal that an unmarked Ismael Zehir headed home from point-blank range at the near post past goalkeeper Kilian Nikiema, a halftime substitute, for a 1-0 lead.

Twenty minutes later, the Dutch knotted things up at 1-1 as Simons converted a 24-yard free kick in the 79th minute. After Turkey's Emre Demir was slapped with a yellow card for tripping Dillon Hoogewerf, Simons deftly lofted his attempt over the defensive wall and past goalkeeper Ahmet Cagn Guney into the right side of the net.

That set up van van Brederode's 11th-hour heroics. Yusuf Barasi flicked the ball to a racing van Brederode on the left flank and he raced into the box and drilled a 10-yard shot into the lower right corner for the game-winner.

In the final day of the competition on Monday, Turkey will meet the U.S. U-16 side at 3:30 p.m. while the Netherlands will face the U.S. U-17's at 6:30 p.m. ET. 

All the matches at the 2019 Nike Friendlies will be streamed on ussoccer.com and U.S. Soccer social media accounts YouTube, Facebook and Twitter (@USYNT).

Goal Scoring Rundown:

TUR – Ismael Zehir (Bargug Elmaz), 58th minute: After the Netherlands' Guus Baars was awarded a yellow card for a hard tackle. Bargut Elmaz drilled a free kick from just outside the left side of the box toward the net that an unmarked Ismael Zehir headed home from close range at the near post past goalkeeper Kilian Nikiema. TUR 1, NED 0

NED – Xavi Simons, 79th minute: Another yellow card set up the second goal, the Netherlands' equalizer in the 79th minute. Turkey's Emre Demir was awarded the caution for tripping Dillon Hoogewerf. Simons then lofted his ensuing 24-yard free kick over the defensive wall and past goalkeeper Ahmet Cagn Guney into the far right side of the net. TUR 1, NED 1

NED – Myron van Brederode (Yusuf Barasi), 89th minute: Yusuf Barasi, who had come on in the 86th minute, flicked the ball to a racing van Brederode on the left side. Van Brederode ran into the penalty and sent a 10-yard shot into the lower right corner that beat goalkeeper Ahmet Cagn Guney for the game-winner. TUR 1, NED 2 FINAL

Key Saves & Defensive Stops: 

NED – Kilian Nikiema, 72nd minute: The goalkeepers did not see much action, but the save of the day was by Dutch netminder Kilian Nikiema, who came on at halftime. With Turkey leading 1-0, Nikiema produced a spectacular kick save with his left foot on Yigit Emre Celtik's shot from atop the penalty area in the 72nd minute. After Nikiema kicked the ball away, it bounded off the right post and out of bounds for a corner kick.