Heracles Almelo lost the last practice match of the preparation on Friday evening. In the Euroborg, FC Groningen was too strong for the Almeloers with 2-0.
The match started evenly. FC Groningen was the team with the ball, but the team of trainer Dick Lukkien did not get any real chances. The first chance for the home team came after a slip in the Almelo defense. With ten minutes on the clock, the team from Groningen seemed to take the lead, but the goal did not come.
Heracles Almelo’s first big chance followed shortly after. A surging Mimeirhel Benita brought Jordy Bruijn into position. The midfielder took a hard shot, but goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen stretched himself to the max and tapped the ball away from the corner. It seemed to be the basis of a good phase in the match, but sloppiness remained in the match.
After more than twenty minutes of football, the first goal of the match was scored. FC Groningen took the lead thanks to Thom van Bergen. The attacker nodded in after a tight cross from Tika de Jonge and put the 1-0 on the scoreboard.
Pursuit
In the second half, Heracles Almelo had to chase. Erwin van de Looi’s team did so with Sem Scheperman and Daniel van Kaam, the midfielder who was presented on Friday morning, in the ranks. And Heracles Almelo shot out of the starting blocks. Juho Talvitie had a good opportunity to put the equalizer on the scoreboard, but the Finnish winger came up against Vaessen. In the rebound, Brian de Keersmaecker seemed to score the 1-1 after all, but the captain on duty shot the ball over the goal.
Heracles Almelo managed to maintain the increased pressure. Despite the fact that the Almeloers were positioned higher on the field, FC Groningen remained dangerous. And the danger of FC Groningen eventually resulted in a doubling of the score with Thom van Bergen as provider this time. His cross ended up with his attacking partner Romano Postema and he was able to finish. Goalkeeper Fabian de Keijzer had no chance on his effort and the margin was increased to two.
In the last part of the match, Heracles Almelo pushed to make the connecting goal and to make the final phase exciting. With a directing role for Van Kaam, the Almeloers created more opportunities in the half of the Groningen team, but it did not result in real chances. After ninety minutes of football, the score remained stuck at 2-0 and thus the preparation of Heracles Almelo ended with the first defeat of the practice campaign.
FC Groningen – Heracles Almelo: 2-0
23. Thom van Bergen (1-0)
64. Romano Postema (2-0)
FC Groningen line-up:
Vaessen, Prince, Interest, Peersman, De Jonge, Schreuders, Bacuna, Hove, Van Bergen, Mendes, Postema
Heracles Almelo line-up:
The Keijzer, Benita, Mirani, Mesik, Roosken, De Keersmaecker, Bruijn (46. Scheperman), ‘t Zand (46. Van Kaam), Talvitie (64. Satriano), Engels, Limbombe
Heracles Almelo Reserves suffer heavy defeat earlier in the day
The reserves of Heracles Almelo suffered a practice defeat against the reserves of FC Groningen on Friday afternoon. While the duel between the two main teams is scheduled for the evening, the reserves already came into action in the afternoon in the Groningen Euroborg. After two sixty-minute games, the score was 4-1. The Groningen goals were scored by Oosting, Turay and Emeran. The goal for Heracles Almelo was scored by Thomas Bruns.
Six Academy players participated in the Heracles Almelo reserves.
FC Groningen reserve line-up:
Jurjus, Stam, Mariani, Pelupessy, Bouland, Turay, Oosting, Valente, Duarte, Willumsson, Emeran
Line-up Heracles Almelo reserves:
Mantel, Wieckhoff, Tijink, Landkroon, Milani, Lbenay, Bruns, Codinha, Sambo, Satriano, Martina
