Cody Gakpo scored two penalties as The Netherlands claimed a 2-1 victory of their last World Cup warm-up sport in opposition to Uzbekistan, which was marred by an harm to goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Having introduced earlier than Monday’s sport in New York that right-back Jurrien Timber would miss the tournament, the Oranje noticed first-choice goalkeeper Verbruggen pressured off within the second half after a nasty fall whereas claiming a free-kick left him favouring his proper leg.
Whereas Ronald Koeman’s aspect have some sturdy backup choices within the type of Mark Flekken and Robin Roefs, the harm to Verbruggen will probably be a big concern forward of the Netherlands’ World Cup opener in opposition to Japan on Sunday.
Gakpo’s first-half penalty gave the Netherlands the lead in opposition to Uzbekistan, who appeared to have snatched a draw when Igor Sergeev hit residence on the far submit within the 92nd minute after Guus Til was despatched off for handball 5 minutes earlier.
Nonetheless, Gakpo calmly slotted in a second Netherlands penalty within the 97th minute to spare their blushes and safe an unconvincing and probably pyrrhic victory.
Gakpo fired the opener into the bottom-left nook after Crysencio Summerville was introduced down by Jakhongir Urozov.
Virgil van Dijk headed narrowly huge from a nook seven minutes into the second half and Summerville additionally went shut earlier than Verbruggen made his exit after initially attempting to struggle by means of the harm.
Substitute Brian Brobbey noticed a aim disallowed for offside and there was a scare for the Netherlands when Guus Til dealt with as Uzbekistan seemed to search out an equaliser with an extended ball ahead.
Til was despatched off following a VAR assessment however the incident was dominated to have taken positioned exterior the field. Regardless of that reprieve, Koeman’s males did concede as Sergeev confirmed nice instincts to fireside in from level clean vary, just for Gakpo to transform the winner from 12 yards after a foul by Rustam Ashurmatov.
