Same old story: U.S. surrenders late lead again, falls 3-2 at Denmark

The last eight times that the United States men's national team has taken a lead with half an hour or less to play in a game, it has given it away six times, having to settle for three ties and three losses. It happened again on Wednesday when Nicklas Bendtner completed a hat trick with two goals after the 83rd minute to push Denmark to a 3-2 win.

While these are all merely friendlies, the USA has now lost four of its last five games – only beating Panama – and is a fetid 2-4-2 (W-L-T) since the World Cup.

[FC Yahoo: Denmark vs. United State – Look back on the action as it happened]

It was a forgettable performance from the Americans, who will take a small measure of solace from the knowledge that they played on a bouncy field on a wet, cold and gusty day. But those challenges don't excuse yet another game marred by systemic defensive malpractice by the U.S., even though all this shakiness was nearly masked by Jozy Altidore's goal and assist to Aron Johannsson. Certainly, the win the Yanks were so close to clinching yet again would have flattered them more than they deserved.

As often under Jurgen Klinsmann, the Americans played with an unfamiliar starting lineup. And it showed in the back line more than anyplace else. For the opening 20 minutes, Denmark had far too easy a time playing through the midfield and creating space in the final third. Had the Danes been a little sharper, a little more in sync early on, they might have gotten a few goals and put the game away early.

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But in the 19th minute, the first of the Americans' out-of-nowhere goals came when right back Timmy Chandler hoofed a cross over the Danish back line some distance from goal. Altidore's run distracted the defenders, Daniel Wass and Simon Kjaer, who misread the ball's bounce and then allowed the burly American to muscle them off it and create a little room for himself. His left-footed volley to strike home at the near post was splendid.

All that bungling in the back eventually caught up with the Americans, though. A series of defensive mistakes led to Bendtner getting left wide-open to tap in from just a yard or two out for the 33rd-minute equalizer. Lasse Vibe had been allowed to get to the back line inside the box and square it into the void out of goalkeeper Nick Rimando's reach.

Elsewhere on the field, the Americans were often overrun in the middle of the park, where Denmark had two players operating to the Americans' three, in spite of Michael Bradley and Alejandro Bedoya's best efforts. Up front, they produced little of substance, sorely missing the creative spark of someone like injured captain Clinton Dempsey, because his replacement Johannsson was largely ineffectual.

The second half produced two more blunders that nearly cost the U.S. Just after coming on at halftime, Alfredo Morales totally misread a header on a high ball. Michael Orozco, the defender behind him, switched off on the play and the ball skipped through for Bendtner, who volleyed only just wide.

Then Morales took a heavy touch on a ball played out of the back which John Brooks then cleared right back into him, the ball caroming into the path of Christian Eriksen who got a cheap shot. Rimando managed to smother the ball sufficiently for Orozco to clear it off the line.

At length, Bradley picked out a far-post Altidore run and delivered a fine long ball to him in the 66th minute. The striker unexpectedly squared the ball for Johannsson, who beat two defenders to the ball for the tap-in and a second lead.

But as they do so worryingly often, the Americans failed to see the game out yet again. In the 83rd minute, Bendtner volleyed home at the far post after more miscues. And then in the 91st, he smashed in a low drive from the other side of the box to net the winner.

Brooks very nearly stole a result at the end for the U.S. But he nodded Bradley's fine ball into the box well wide.

And so another lead was squandered and another game needlessly lost. These are still only friendlies, but cumulatively, they paint an unflattering bigger picture for the United States.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.