March 30, 2024 – 5:52 PM
Jong Sparta Rotterdam drew 1-1 against Koninklijke HFC this afternoon. The Kasteelheren were the better in the first half, but did not score. Mehmet Yüksel did that in the second minute of the second half, but HFC came alongside in the final phase.
There was a lot at stake for Jong Sparta prior to the match against HFC. With a win in Haarlem, the red and whites would move into the left row, virtually guaranteeing enforcement. However, in the hunt for three points, trainer Jeff Stans had to miss his top scorer. Dano Lourens was not there, so Dean Zandbergen started at the point of the attack. Furthermore, Mehmet Yüksel was also given a starting place against his old club. The third change was a new goalkeeper. Youri Schoonderwaldt is part of the first team’s match selection tonight, just like Kaylen Reitmaier. Dylan Tevreden was therefore the closing post of Jong Sparta today.
In the first ten minutes, both teams were searching on HFC’s difficult to play wet field. Neither team created any opportunities in that phase, although the first chance was a big one. Delano Vianello put Aymane Bais alone in front of goalkeeper Mitchel Michaelis, but the latter saved with his foot. Two minutes later we saw a copy of this opportunity. Once again Delano put Vianello Bais face to face with Michaelis, but this time the attacker placed the ball wide. Despite missing these two great opportunities, Jong Sparta remained the better at Sportpark Spanjaardslaan. After half an hour of play, Jorn Triep tried from a great distance, but his attempt was a prey for Michaelis.
Five minutes later there was another great chance from Bais. This time it was not Delano Vianello who was at the heart of the attack, but Ruben Heeremans. The HFC defender played the ball back to Michaelis too short, causing Bais to intervene. This time the winger chose to round the goalie, but he was unable to do so. On the other hand, HFC got its first opportunity of the match. Cas Dijkstra put the ball on Robin Eindhoven’s head, but he headed straight at goalkeeper Dylan Tevreden. On the stroke of half-time, Eindhoven was given a second chance, but again Tevreden had little trouble with his effort. In between, Jong Sparta got an even better chance. However, Michaelis responded attentively to a shot by Mehmet Yüksel, after which Bais headed wide from the subsequent corner kick. As a result, both teams went to the dressing room with a 0-0 halftime score and Jong Sparta in particular must have had the feeling that there could have been more in the first half.
After the break, however, Jong Sparta still got what it deserved. Giannino Vianello started the attack and put the ball back perfectly. Yüksel was waiting at the penalty spot, who neatly printed the score: 0-1. The attacker hurt his old team at the start of the second half. However, the lead seemed to be short-lived, as just under ten minutes later Flip Klomp reached the Eindhoven striker. He scored from close range, but was offside, leaving Jong Sparta unscathed. The game picture shifted a bit more, with HFC gradually gaining the upper hand in the match. The Good Old did not get much further than a dismissal of Klomp for a long time.
Twenty minutes before the end, HFC got its first real big chance of the match. Klomp placed the ball at the far post, where Danny Ramdjanamsingh appeared completely free. However, the left back worked the ball over from close range. The Kasteellords did not give away much more for a long time, although HFC did have the game made. The hosts leveled in the 83rd minute. Marijn Ploem nodded home from a corner kick: 1-1. Not much later, Klomp was close to a Haarlem lead. The midfielder’s volley went just wide. Then came the five minutes of injury time, during which Jong Sparta was still hunting for the 1-2. However, there was no good chance of that.
This is how it ended 1-1 in Haarlem. The first half belonged to Jong Sparta, but after the quick opening goal in the second half, the momentum lay with HFC. Jong Sparta therefore remains tenth in the Betnation Division. Kozak Boys will visit next week.
Line-up Jong Sparta Rotterdam:
Dylan Tevreden, Marvin Young, Max de Ligt, Jaïr Haakmakt, Giannino Vianello (85. Jay den Haan), Delano Vianello, Mehmet Yüksel, Dylan van Wageningen, Dean Zandbergen, Jorn Triep (85. Jesse Bal), Aymane Bais (71. Ayoni Santos)