11 augustus 2024 – 14:18
Sparta Rotterdam started the new Eredivisie season with a draw. On a very warm Kasteel, Sparta and Heracles failed to score, resulting in a 0-0 final score on the scoreboard after 90 minutes.
After six weeks of preparation, Sparta started the competition this afternoon. In the first round, Erwin van de Looi’s Heracles was the opponent. The expectation was that Jeroen Rijsdijk would not tinker much with his starting line-up compared to the last few weeks and the coach did not do so. Rijsdijk made only one change: Shunsuke Mito returned from the Olympic Games and took Ayoub Oufkir’s place. We also saw Boyd Reith, Teo Quintero and Mohamed Nassoh make their official debut and Camiel Neghli returned to the match selection.
The match had a quiet opening phase, in which both teams tested each other. Heracles scored the first shot via Shiloh ‘t Zand, but his free kick went far over. On the other side, Tobias Lauritsen was closer to the opening goal. However, on a pass from Boyd Reith, the Norwegian just missed. These were the only two opportunities in the first 15 minutes, which did not meet expectations. Sparta had the ball a lot and Heracles waited on their own half. After a good fifteen minutes of play, however, it was the visitors who were responsible for the first shot on goal. Mimeirhel Benita cleverly passed the ball to Juho Talvitie, who wanted to surprise Nick Olij in the near corner. However, the goalkeeper was alert and made the save. Ten minutes later, Olij did not have to take action when Mario Engels dangerously dove in front of the goalie. After a great pass from Brian de Keersmaecker, the former Sparta player was able to shoot, but Mike Eerdhuijzen blocked his attempt. In between there was another header opportunity for Lauritsen, but he failed to get the ball on target.
The match slowly progressed in a warm Kasteel, where chances were scarce. After half an hour of play, however, we saw another chance that came to the name of a Spartan debutant. It was preceded by a wonderful long ball from Olij, which was beautifully controlled by Shunsuke Mito. Via the Japanese, Mohamed Nassoh and Djevencio van der Kust, the ball ended up with Boyd Reith. He took Fabian de Keijzer under fire, but the goalkeeper had an adequate answer in house. Even after this chance, Sparta remained the team that had to make the game and Heracles lurked on the counter. This resulted in another enormous chance for Mito in the final phase. The well-playing Reith put the attacker in position, who looked for the near corner. However, Mito placed the ball wide. On the other side, a sliding shot from ‘t Zand also did not go on target, so that the first half, in which chances could be counted on one hand, ended without goals.
The 9,722 supporters at Het Kasteel were not treated to a spectacle in the second half either. The game was often at a standstill and when the ball was in play, the pace of both teams was too low to create chances. One of the reasons the game was at a standstill was because of Metinho. He needed a long injury treatment and was eventually replaced by Jonathan de Guzmán. After the drinks break halfway through the second half, Rijsdijk made three more substitutions. Charles-Andreas Brym, Camiel Neghli and Rick Meissen came on for Tobias Lauritsen, Shunsuke Mito and Mike Eerdhuijzen to make a difference. In the first part of the second half, we did not see a single attempt on goal from either team. Sparta created the most danger with a number of goalscorers, but a real chance failed to materialise. In the 70th minute, it was even Heracles that came close to taking the lead through Bryan Limbombe. His long-range shot just missed.
Heracles was also threatening from the switch, with Engels certainly coming close to scoring. The German rushed away with the ball and fired a dangerous shot. However, Olij kept Sparta on his feet and tapped Engels’ effort over. A little later, Olij had to put in a little less effort with an attempt by Talvitie, who only produced a small roll. We had seen little of Sparta in the second half, but Djevencio van der Kust was responsible for the hosts’ most threatening moment up to that point ten minutes before the end. After good work by Pelle Clement, the Suriname international was able to cross hard, but his pass did not reach a teammate. Six minutes later, the same Clement was responsible for Sparta’s biggest chance in the second half. A loose ball ended up with the midfielder, who just missed via a Heraclied. It was the starting signal for a final offensive for Sparta, but the home team was also unable to create any chances.
That’s how it ended at Het Kasteel, as it began. Heracles will be most satisfied with a draw, Sparta had certainly hoped for more in advance. Next week the red-whites travel to the East of the Netherlands to visit FC Twente.
Sparta Rotterdam line-up:
Nick Olij, Boyd Reith, Teo Quintero, Mike Eerdhuijzen, Djevencio van der Kust, Metinho (55. Jonathan de Guzmán), Shunsuke Mito, Pelle Clement, Tobias Lauritsen, Arno Verschueren (81. Joshua Kitolano), Mohamed Nassoh
