Two penalties hand Dutch unconvincing win over Uzbekistan
Netherlands striker Cody Gakpo converted two penalties, one with the last kick of the game, to see his side edge Uzbekistan 2-1 in a World Cup warm-up friendly that was played behind closed doors at Icahn Stadium.
Gakpo had opened the scoring with a 31st-minute spot kick and then, two minutes after Uzbekistan had equalised in stoppage time at the end of the game, netted a second penalty for an unconvincing victory.
But the contest was spoilt by some poor refereeing with the Dutch having two more legitimate-looking penalty appeals turned down and a red card handed to substitute Guus Til in the 89th minute for an innocuous handball outside the penalty area.
The first Dutch goal came after a dangerous tackle on Crysencio Summerville by Jakhongir Urozov and when Gakpo scored, it suggested the Dutch would go on to a comfortable victory such was their dominance.
But it proved a sloppy performance in the second half and then allowed the Uzbeks to equalise in the third minute of stoppage time through Igor Sergeev in one of their rare attacks.
As the game looked headed for a stalemate, Jean-Paul van Hecke was wrestled to the ground at a corner by the Uzbek defenders and the referee handed the Dutch another penalty to allow them to win the game.
The Dutch head to their base in Kansas City on Tuesday and play their opening Group F clash against Japan in Dallas on Sunday.
Uzbekistan, making their World Cup debut, are in Group K and play their opening game against Colombia in Mexico City on Thursday, June 18.
