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In Amsterdam

Bulgaria sends Dutch crashing to another defeat

Netherlands' Euro 2012 buildup suffered another setback on Saturday when Bulgaria won their friendly clash 2-1 with the defeat coming just four days after losing 3-2 to Bayern Munich.

Robin van Persie had given the Dutch, one of the favorites for the title at Euro 2012 which starts on June 8, a 45th-minute lead.

But Bulgaria, who didn't qualify for the tournament, leveled four minutes into the second half with an Ivelin Popov penalty after a handball by Rafael van der Vaart.

Striker Ilijan Mizanski hit the winner in the second minute of injury time on a counter-attack.

Dutch fans were so frustrated by Bert van Marwijk's team that it was jeered off at the final whistle.

The result also failed to resolve the coach's dilemma over how best to play Arsenal star van Persie and Schalke forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar together in their best roles.

Van Marwijk also has problems at leftback with 18-year-old Jetro Willems, who has only played 20 times in the Dutch first division, handed a debut on Saturday.

"The result is disappointing," said the coach. "We took a lot of risks at the end of the game and were caught on the counter attack. But that's football and we need to learn the lessons. To score goals, you have to have movement and we missed that tonight."

In Dublin

Trapattoni waits ON key duo to prove fitness

Giovanni Trapattoni will wait until Monday before deciding whether Shay Given and John O'Shea are fit enough to make the Republic of Ireland's squad for Euro 2012.

Trapattoni must submit his final 23-man group on Tuesday and the Ireland boss is determined to ensure Aston Villa goalkeeper Given and Sunderland defender O'Shea are in the right condition to feature in Poland and Ukraine.

Both are due to resume training at Ireland's training camp in Montecatini in Italy next week after knee and ankle injuries respectively but, while Trapattoni is confident they will make the squad, Paul McShane will travel as cover for O'Shea and Kevin Foley, who is recovering from a hamstring strain.

Trapattoni, whose side warmed up for the tournament with a 1-0 friendly win over Bosnia in Dublin on Saturday, said: "They will have to show us on Monday they are ready. Richard Dunne showed that to us on Friday after his injury."

Aside from the injuries, Trapattoni and his players will head to their training camp in good spirits after Shane Long's 78th-minute header secured a well-deserved victory over the Bosnians.

In Florida

Donovan's hat-trick powers US over Scotland

All-time US goal leader Landon Donovan scored a hat-trick on Saturday and the Americans routed Scotland 5-1 in an international soccer friendly that served as a World Cup qualifying tuneup.

Donovan, a striker for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, scored in the third minute and found the net again in the 60th and 65th minutes, boosting his US career goal tally to 49 before 41,000 spectators.

"It was a good day for me," Donovan said. "We wanted to come out and put on a good show. It's not often we get 41,000 people."

Donovan, playing for the Americans for the first time since last September, also set a US record with his 125th start, one more than defender Jeff Agoos totaled for the "Stars and Stripes" from 1988 through 2003.

US midfielders Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones added goals while the Americans surrendered an own goal off a skillful play from Scottish captain Kenny Miller to create the final margin.

Agence France-Presse