Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 6:28 PM
FC Groningen won 1-0 against Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday afternoon. Striker Romano Postema scored the only goal in a full Euroborg after half an hour of play. Speaker Jan Wildeman took his place behind the microphone for the last time.
For the last time, Jan Wildeman’s voice rang through the speakers of Euroborg. Wildeman was the regular voice of FC Groningen from 1980 to 2022 and took the microphone again on Saturday against Sparta Rotterdam to say goodbye to his club and its FC supporters.
FC Groningen became dangerous for the first time after 11 minutes of football. Leandro Bacuna took long steps with the ball at his feet and Romano Postema was put to work via a subtle ball from Jorg Schreuders. His effort was turned away by Nick Olij. After almost half an hour of play, the Sparta keeper had to cover the short corner after a good header from Bacuna. The back strongly won the aerial duel against his direct opponent after a long ball from midfield.
The Pride of the North took the lead after half an hour of play. Thom van Bergen believed in a ball that fell between the defense and the goalkeeper. The attacker hit the ball, causing it to pass Olij and Romano Postema to give the final touch, 1-0.
Just before the break there was a similar moment to the goal. Once again a ball seemed to fall between the defense and the goalkeeper at Sparta and again Van Bergen was there. Now the Rotterdam team was able to clear, but immediately in the counterattack FC Groningen was again in front of Olij’s goal. Van Bergen and Postema fell just short on a Prins cross. Van Bergen suffered physical complaints early in the first half and had to be replaced at half-time. Brynjolfur Willumsson came on for him.
Just like before half-time, FC Groningen was emphatically present in Sparta’s half in the second half. While coach Dick Lukkien’s team scored four shots between the posts before the break, opportunities were less easy to come by in the second half.
The chance for a bigger lead came ten minutes before the end. Marvin Peersman steamed forward through the center and got the ball back in the penalty area through a combination with Willumsson. However, the defender did not make any progress with his passes, which meant that he could not shoot and Willumsson also did not get a shot on goal moments later. On the other hand, goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen was well positioned after a dangerous shot from just outside the penalty area.
Due to the FC’s minimal lead, it was exciting until the last minutes in Euroborg, which was filled with 21,995 supporters. Sparta started to hunt more emphatically for the equalizer and that gave the Rotterdam team a decent chance in the last minute of regular playing time. A shot was fired just over Vaessen’s goal from a corner kick.
In the three-minute extra time, Euroborg stood united behind the team for the umpteenth time this Saturday. Postema shot another dangerous shot at the goal, but Olij was able to save the day. However, the striker became the match winner as the only goal scorer in the match that ended 1-0.
The last international break of the calendar year has arrived. The next match of the Trots van het Noorden is on Saturday, November 23, when they visit PSV. A week later, on Saturday November 30, the meeting with Willem II is scheduled in Euroborg. Tickets for this home match can be purchased via
