Netherlands routs Austria in friendly
Wesley Sneijder, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Dirk Kuyt each scored Wednesday to help the Netherlands beat Austria 3-1 in an international friendly.
The Netherlands took the lead in the 28th when Sneijder smashed a long-range drive from just out the area. Huntelaar doubled the lead three minutes after the break with his ninth international goal in five games.
Dirk Kuyt then made it 3-0, converting a twice-taken penalty in the 70th.
Marko Arnautovic pulled one back with a penalty awarded in the 83rd after substitute Peter Wisgerhof fouled Stephan Maierhofer in the area.
"If you follow this team you know that everyone always gives 100 percent," captain Mark van Bommel said. "We had better control after Wesley's goal and we know he can do it."
In the absense of injured pair of Nigel de Jong and Rafael van der Vaart, FC Twente's Theo Janssen was given a rare start in the Dutch midfield along with Van Bommel and Sneijder.
Huntelaar had the game's first chance when his attempted diagonal shot from 10 yards was saved by alert Austria goalkeeper Juergen Macho.
Huntelaar made another close-range attempt on goal seven minutes later, playing a one-two with Liverpool's Kuyt but Macho shuttled sideways to make another save.
Chances kept coming for the Netherlands with the unmarked Kuyt nearly getting a goal from Ibrahim Afellay's cross in the 22nd only to see the ball drifting away before he could pounce on it.
With Macho standing a few yards from his goalposts, Sneijder combined with Janssen in midfield, dispatching a long-range shot that flew past the badly-positioned Panionios goalkeeper, hitting the post before slipping just under the crossbar.
Franz Scheimer had Austria's best chance to level in 45th but he mistimed his effort and the ball hit the stands.
The Netherlands took control of the game three minutes after the break when substitute Eljero Elia picked out leftback Erik Peters with a fine backheel and the PSV Eindhoven defender's well-timed cross was headed in by Huntelaar.
Florian Klein's handball gave Kuyt the opportunity to score the third from the penalty spot, and he did so at the second attempt after his first effort had been ruled out because several Dutch players stormed into the area before the kick was taken.
Arnautovic's late goal proved only to be a consolation for Austria with Elia and Van Nistelrooy each wasting chances toward the end.
Lineups:
Netherlands: Maarteen Stekelenburg, Gregory van den Wiel, John Heitinga, Jorris Mathijsen (Peter Wisgerhof 46), Erik Pieters, Dirk Kuyt (Luuk de Jong, 73), Mark van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder (Eljero Elia, 46), Theo Janssen (Kevin Strootman, 71), Ibrahim Afellay, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ruud van Nistelrooy, 73)
Austria: Jurgen Macho, Florian Klein (Yasin Pehlivan 73, Sebastian Prodl, Emanuel Pogatetz, Christian Fuchs, Julian Baumgartlinger, Franz Schiemer, David Alaba (Veli Kavlak 84, Zlatko Junuzovic (Erwin Hoffer, 62) Stephan Maierhofer, Marko Arnautovic