Nicklas Bendtner scores first international hat trick, shames the USA
March 25, 2015
Nicklas Bendtner scored a hat trick to help Denmark come from behind to beat the United States 3–2 in a friendly and now it’s all over.
Jozy Altidore gave the U.S. a lead in the 19th minute, but Bendtner equalized in the 33rd. Aron Johannsson then gave the U.S. another lead in the 66th minute, but Bendtner equalized again in the 83rd minute and slotted in a skillful volley in added time for the death blow (video above). One that continued a trend that has plagued the U.S. throughout Jurgen Klinsmann’s post-World Cup tinkering.
#USMNT has allowed seven goals in the 80th minute or later in its last seven games.
— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) March 25, 2015
Though it was just a friendly and the U.S. were again employing an experimental squad, when you become the first nation to concede a hat trick to a man that the internet, and now even Danish newspapers, mockingly refer to as “Lord Bendtner,” the honorable thing to do is to shut it all down and focus exclusively on the far more respectable women’s team, which has never conceded a hat trick to Nicklas Bendtner.
Nicklas Bendtner was 1st player to score a hat trick vs #USMNT since Per Pederson scored all of Denmark's goals in 4–1 friendly win in 1997.
— Peter Hirdt (@PeterHirdt) March 25, 2015
Repeatedly surpassing expectations in major tournaments and proving a formidable opponent for the world’s best in matches with some semblance of meaning to them was delightful, but you simply can’t come back from an embarrassment as extreme as this. Again: Nicklas Bendtner. Hat trick. In a friendly.
Thankfully, most of the U.S. men’s team are also eligible to play for Germany, Mexico, or Iceland, so they can pursue spots in those teams going forward. Jurgen Klinsmann, meanwhile, will be exiled from civilized society for obviously being a fraud who knows nothing about anything.
RIP U.S. men’s national team. Gone too soon.
