Sparta Rotterdam – FC Groningen 0-1 (0-0)
Sparta Rotterdam’s ground, Het Kasteel, (‘The Castle’) is not an easy place to go, especially not after a Uefa Cup match in the Balkans in midweek. On top of that the game against Partizan had left some players nursing injuries. Eric Nevland, Glen Salmon, Arnold Kruiswijk who all started in the midweek match were, had to sit out this game. Left-back Van Der Linden, who started his career at today’s opponents, pulled out of the quad on Sunday morning due to flu. Their replacements were: Luis Suarez, Yuri Cornelisse, Ondrej Svejdik, and Mathias Florén. Paul Matthijs has been out longer through injury, and was today still unavailable. Sparta fielded an unchanged team from the one that lost at home to Feyenoord last week.
The game started with Groningen taking it easy, trying to keep the pace of the game down, understandable considering the effort given on Thursday. Sparta looked more willing to go forward but was clearly lacking in confidence because of their poor start to the season with one point from three. Sparta manager Vloet had put pressure on his side by claiming that a win today would be vital for the clubs chances in the remainder of the season.
Groningen’s ‘early conceding hoodoo’ seemed to materialise for the third game in a row when ex-Groningen player Van Dijk tapped in a ball at the far post after a confusing situation in the box. He was rightly ruled offside by the referee to the relief of all that was Groningen. The rest of the half saw few chances for either side. Rose fired wide for Sparta after about 15 minutes. The best opportunity of the 1st half fell to Groningen on 28 minutes. After a cross from the right Fledderus headed the ball towards the far post with Sparta ‘keeper Ponk making a vital save. The rebound also fell to Fledderus whose shot hit the bar from close range. This was the first real chance for Groningen in the match, underlining Groningen’s lacklustre approach to the game.
The remainder of the first half saw little good football nor chances for either side. Sparta defender Schenkel did however escape from a second booking, and thus dismissal, after hacking down Fledderus who was cutting through the Sparta defence. He was lucky to be allowed to stay on the pitch, and had poorly leading referee Van Sichem to thank.
In the second half Van De Laak didn’t return for Groningen. He too was added to the lengthy injury list and replaced by Stefano Seedorf. For Sparta Schenkel and Rose were replaced by Iderlindo and Oost. The first good chance of the 2nd half was set up by Seedorf. His pass to Cornelisse was followed by a lovely through ball to Suarez, who unleashed a shot from the left side of the box that whizzed in in front on the goal wide of the far post. This did not mean however that Groningen controled the game in that second half. Sparta still dominated possesion and carved out some chances. Medunjanin put a shot wide and Roorda had to stretch to deny Anastasiou a goal from a header at the far post. But just as in the first half Groningen the best chances fell to Groningen. One of those chances was a header for Suarez that hit the post, from a Fledderus corner-kick.
Groningen made its second substitution of the game when Goran Lovre came on the pitch to replace Fledderus in midfield. Sparta also made a substitution when young striker Emnes replaced his older colleague Anastasiou, had had been disappointing all afternoon. After a foul by Lovre Sparta was awarded a free kick in a very promising position right in front of goal, bang on the 18 yard line. Van Dijk, who had claimed the free kick despite a known specialist like Polak on the pitch, blasted the ball miles high over the bar. Ridicule from the home crowd was his reward.
In the last 15 minutes Groningen players seemed to realise that with their minimum effort they had managed to hold Sparta to a 0-0 score, and that perhaps with a bit more effort they could snatch all three points. Another excellent through ball from midfield was chased by Suarez, who played the ball past the Sparta ‘keeper Ponk, only to have his legs taken away by the big Sparta goaly. Despite the obvious nature of the foul Van Sichem, who was clearly just as eager to help the home side as the Latvian referee on Thursday against Partizan, did not reward a penalty. The continued Groningen pressure resulted in two more corner kicks that didn’t bother Sparta that much.
Sparta also had chances in the lively last 15 minutes of the game. Substitute Oost, Sparta’s top goal scorer last season with eight, had a promising shot stopped by Silva. The chances came thick and fast in the last 10 minutes. The next one fell to the away side again when a clever ball by Seedorf was squared into the box by Lovre intended for the unmarked Suarez. The ball hit the only Sparta player in the box, Olfers, and was nearly deflected into his own net by the player.
In the 88th minute Levchenko tried to reach Suarez with a high ball. Suarez tried to lob the goalkeeper, just like he did on Thursday, but only managed to get the ball up high in the air. The tenacious Uruguayan did not give up and beat the jumping Ponk to the ball, a feat in itself, and headed a cheeky little ball across goal. And there was Seedorf……totally unmarked to head the ball in the empty goal from barely a yard out, 1-0 to Groningen!
In the remainder of the match Sparta tried to force an equaliser, but failed to create anything. And thus the first away victory of the season was added to the books.
Was the win deserved? Sparta had dominated possession, but hardly created any chances. The best chances fell to Groningen and on that basis it was deserved. A minimum effort/maximum result game is very welcome in a ‘European week’, and hopefully it was due to the physically demanding midweek match that we haven’t seen the good football displayed by Groningen last season yet. But better performances are needed if Groningen wants to progress in Europe and hold on to its current league position of second (on goal difference from number one, AZ Alkmaar, with equal points).
Wednesday awaits First Division TOP Oss in the Dutch Cup.
Line up FC Groningen
1C Roorda; 2 Silva, 3 Sankoh, 4 Svejdik, 5 Florén; 6 Lindgren, 7 Van de Laak (46’ 15 Seedorf), 8 Levchenko, 10 Fledderus (71’ 14 Lovre); 9 Suárez (93’ 13 Kieft), 11 Cornelisse.
Rest bench: 16 Van Loo, 12 Thalen, 17 Hiariej, 18 Holla.
Line up Sparta Rotterdam
1 Ponk; 2 De Roover, 4 Schenkel (46’ 28 Iderlindo), 3 Olfers, 5 Polak; 10 Medunjanin, 8 Obodai, 11 Rose (46’ 9 Oost); 14 Bouaouzan, 21C Anastasiou (71’ 16 Emnes), 17c Van Dijk.
Rest bench: 20 Terol, 7 Van Bueren, 18 Bruma, 29 Vlug.
Attendence: 12.000
Scores: 88’ Seedorf (Suárez) 0-1.
Referee: Van Sichem
Ass. Referees: Van Roekel en Van de Ven
Fourth official: Ketting
Yellow Cards: 11’ Levchenko (impeding Obodai), 32’ Fledderus and Schenkel (‘handbags’), 68’ Obodai (hands), 81’ Bouaouzan (foul on Svejdik), 94’ Iderlinho (foul on Lovre).
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Thanks To Eeijt!