USMNT allows two late goals, falls to Denmark 3-2

AARHUS, Denmark (Via U.S. Soccer) – Jozy Altidore tallied his 27th goal for the U.S. Men’s National Team and added an assist on Aron Johannsson’s third career strike, but it was not enough to offset Nicklas Bendtner’s hat trick in a 3-2 loss to Denmark on Wednesday at NRGi Park.

The USA now returns to Zurich, where it will continue training camp ahead of next week’s match against No. 12-ranked Switzerland. The U.S. MNT will play its second consecutive road match in Europe on March 31 at 12 p.m. ET live on Fox Sports 1, UniMás and UDN.

The USA twice took the lead in each half, first through Altidore and then Johannsson. Denmark responded on each occasion through Bendtner, who eventually scored the game winner in the 91st minute.

The USA had a chance to equalize in the game’s final moments when midfielder Michael Bradley whipped a beautiful cross into the box, but John Brooks guided his header just wide in the last action of the match.

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Jozy Altidore (Timmy Chandler), 19th minute: Timmy Chandler played a one-two passing combination with Johannsson, launching the ball to the far post from the right side. Altidore outmuscled his defender and blasted a full volley at the near post with his left foot. It was Chandler’s first career assist for the USA. USA 1, DEN 0 ( SEE GOAL)

DEN – Nicklas Bendtner (Lasse Vibe), 33rd minute: After a long build up, the ball ended up with Denmark’s Daniel Wass. He flashed a cross toward Rimando, where it was backheeled by Lass Vibe into the path of Bendtner, who easily tapped it home from close range.USA 1, DEN 1 ( SEE GOAL)

USA – Aron Johannsson (Jozy Altidore), 66th minute: Michael Bradley dropped an exquisite long ball into the Denmark box to a streaking Altidore. The U.S. striker took a beautiful first touch to cushion the pass and draw the attention of Denmark goalkeeper Stephan Andersen before poking the ball to Johannsson, who tapped home into the vacated goal with a smart first touch and a defender on his back. USA 2, DEN 1 (SEE GOAL)

DEN – Nicklas Bendtner, 83rd minute: A chip from Martin Braithwaite on the left side was deflected and looped toward the far post of the U.S. goal. Denmark’s Lasse Schöne and the USA’s Timmy Chandler challenged for the deflected ball, which ultimately fell to Bendtner, who lashed a first-time volley low past screened U.S. goalkeeper Nick Rimando. USA 2 DEN 2 (SEE GOAL)

DEN – Nicklas Bendtner (Christian Eriksen), 90+1 minute: A Nick Rimando goal kick was allowed to bounce around the midfield stripe and Denmark won the second ball, moving it to Eriksen wide in the left channel. The Denmark captain directed a long ball over the top to Bendtner, who cradled the pass with a fluid first touch before smacking a low shot past Rimando into the far side netting from 16 yards out. USA 2, DEN 3 ( SEE GOAL) FINAL

Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
USA – Nick Rimando (Save) 16th minute: Denmark curled in a cross from the left channel to the far post which just skipped by striker Nicklas Bendtner, before Rimando turned it around the post with a diving save.

USA – Nick Rimando & Michael Orozco (Save), 48th minute: A defensive mix-up led to an opening for Denmark’s Christian Eriksen, who snapped a wide open shot from the right side, which Rimando expertly beat away. However, the ball continued to roll toward the U.S. goal before Michael Orozco was able to clear it to safety.

Milestone Watch:

• Timmy Chandler recorded his first career point for the U.S. MNT with his assist in the first half.
• Jozy Altidore’s first-half goal was the 27th of his career and his second this year. He is three goals behind Brian McBride for fourth on the USA’s all-time scoring list.
• Ventura Alvarado earned his first cap for the U.S. MNT, entering in the 80th minute to replace Michael Orozco.

Next on the Schedule:
The U.S. MNT faces Switzerland at 12 p.m. ET on March 31 in Zurich.
Broadcast information: FOX Sports 1, UniMas, Univision Deportes Network

Additional Notes:

• Michael Bradley wore the captain’s armband from the opening whistle for the time in his career.
• Nick Rimando made his first appearance and start in Europe for the USA.
• Greg Garza has now started four of the last six matches for which he was available.
• The two at the top of the USA’s 4-4-2 were Altidore and Johannsson, who were previously teammates at AZ Alkmaar. Altidore assisted on Johannsson’s goal in the 66th minute.
• Before the match, the Denmark crowd gave Aron Johannsson, who had played at NRGi park before as a member of the Danish club AGF Aarhus, a warm reception when his name was called.
• It was his first start since 2013, and his first appearance since entering for Jozy Altidore in the 2-1 win against Ghana in the USA’s opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
• Johannsson scored with his last touch of the match before being replaced by Rubio Rubin, the 19-year-old earning his third cap.
• Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley were the only two players to feature for the MNT during the last time it faced Denmark in this stadium in 2009.

– U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report –

Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Denmark
Date: March 25, 2015
Tournament: International Friendly
Venue: NRGi Park; Aarhus, Denmark
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
Attendance: 10,505
Weather: 41 degrees; Cloudy

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 1 2
DEN 1 2 3

USA – Jozy Altidore (Timmy Chandler) 19th minute
DEN – Nicklas Bendtner (Lasse Vibe) 33
USA – Aron Johannsson (Jozy Altidore) 66
DEN – Nicklas Bendtner 83
DEN – Nicklas Bendtner (Christian Eriksen) 90+1

Lineups:
USA: 1-Nick Rimando; 21-Timmy Chandler, 15-Michael Orozco (19-Ventura Alvarado, 80), 6-John Brooks, 3-Greg Garza; 20-Gyasi Zardes (2-DeAndre Yedlin, 67) 11-Alejandro Bedoya (7-Alfredo Morales, 46), 4-Michael Bradley (capt.), 23-Fabian Johnson (13-Brek Shea, 46); 17-Jozy Altidore, 9-Aron Johannsson (18-Rubio Rubin, 67)
Subs not used: 5-Tim Ream, 10-Miguel Ibarra, 14-Danny Williams, 16-Julian Green, 22-William Yarbrough
Head Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann

DEN : 16-Stephan Andersen; 2-Daniel Wass, 3-Simon Kjar, 4-Erik Sviatchenko, 5-Nicolai Bollesen (17-Simon Busk Poulsen, 53); 7-William Kvist (23-Anders Christiansen, 46), 18-Jakob Poulsen (19-Thomas Delaney, 46), 21-Lasse Vibe (8-Martin Braithwaite, 74), 10-Christian Eriksen (capt.); 9-Michael Krohn-Dehli (14-Lasse Schöne, 78), 11-Nicklas Bendtner
Subs not used: 1-Kasper Schmeichel, 6-Las Jacobsen, 12-Mathias Zanka Jorgensen, 13-Kian H. Hansen, 22-Jonas Lössl
Head Coach: Morten Olsen

Stats Summary: USA / DEN
Shots: 4 / 12
Shots on Goal: 2 / 5
Saves: 2 / 0
Corner Kicks: 3 / 4
Fouls: 17 / 13
Offside: 1 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
DEN – William Kvist (caution) 25th minute
USA – Jozy Altidore (caution) 78
USA – Ventura Alvarado (caution) 89

Officials:
Referee: Mattias Gestranius (FIN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jan-Peter Aravirta (FIN)
Assistant Referee 2: Mikko Alakare (FIN)
Fourth Official: Mads-Kristoffer Kristoffersen (DEN)

Man of the Match: Jozy Altidore