AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Cinderella made it to the ball but when it was time to try on the glass slipper Saturday, it didn't fit.
Whatever magic the young U.S. national team captured in the first two weeks of this World Cup ran out during a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands that ended the Americans' tournament in the round of 16. The end was swift and relatively painless, with first-half goals from Memphis Depay and Daley Blind setting the tone on a cool, cloudless night before an announced crowd of 44,846 at Khalifa International Stadium.
Second-half substitute Haji Wright halved the deficit in the 76th minute with a nifty back-heel deflection of a Christian Pulisic cross, but minutes later Denzel Dumfries found himself wide open again on the right wing, walking slowly into the box and waving frantically for the ball. Blind obliged and Dumfries one-timed the cross in with his left foot to put the game away.
