Holden has been ruled out for at least six weeks after suffering a fracture to his right fibula in a tackle with De Jong in USA's 2-1 defeat.

The Manchester City man was booked for the challenge, but claimed there was no malice meant.

"Such offences are part of football," he said on www.knvb.nl. "I went for the ball and got the opponent at the end.

"I had no evil intent. If the ball is between me and the opponent, you have to go in full. If you do not then the opponent takes you.

"And if you're scared in a game you get injured yourself."

De Jong claims he had become a tougher player since his move to Eastlands from Bundesliga side Hamburg in January last year.

"In England it is more accepted, that is just how it is," he said.

"He (Holland coach Bert van Marwijk) knows what kind of player I am."

The hosts won the match thanks to goals from Dirk Kuyt and Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

Kuyt opened the scoring from the spot five minutes before half-time after Wesley Sneijder was fouled and substitute Huntelaar made it two with a deflected strike in the 73rd minute.

USA captain Carlos Bocanegra grabbed a late consolation goal for the visitors, their first against Holland.

And Van Marwijk was satisfied with his team's display against a team who will also be at the World Cup in South Africa.

"The USA team were in the final of the Confederations Cup and beat Spain," he said. "If you look at it we have not done badly."