Dutch likely to play US in football tune-up match

The Dutch men’s national football team is expected to square off against the United States on June 5 in a friendly match, SI.com reported. The game would take place just one week before a critical Oranje qualifier European Championship qualifier against Latvia. It would be an away match for the U.S., who are also expected to play Germany in a June 10 friendly. The U.S. would use the tune-ups to prepare for the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, declaring a champion of the Americas. The Netherlands has six points in Group A, placing them in third. Czech Republic is in first with 12 points, while Iceland has nine. Turkey, Latvia and Kazakhstan round out the group with four, two and one point respectively. Only the top two teams of each group are guaranteed a spot in the final tournament, along with the best third place team. The remaining eight third-placed teams compete in a playoff for the final four tournament spots. Dutch football federation KNVB refused to comment on the story, saying they will only confirm a match when all parties have signed the appropriate contracts. Oranje beat the United States 2-1 in March 2010 in Amsterdam, the last time the two teams played. Both teams have new management since then, with Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk having been replaced by Louis van Gaal, and then Guus Hiddink taking the reins. Jurgen Klinsmann later took over the U.S. team from Bob Bradley.