The report

After just over two months without league football, the O15 got to hit the field for the "real thing" once again. Due to a combination of weather conditions and tournaments, the team played its last official game on December 2. It lost 3-0 to AZ.

Today we finally had another league match on the schedule. For PSV the 13th game while there are teams that played their 17th game at the same time. The league table gives a very distorted picture. What is clear is that Sparta is having a tough and difficult season, in which they are in the lower regions. The away game ended in a bloodless 0-0. Hopefully today's game would be heartwarming and PSV could keep the points in Eindhoven.

In the first half, there was little to enjoy in front of either goal. PSV's field play was not unkind, but it struggled to create chances. Still, it took the lead in the tenth minute when Mohamed Nassoh opened well on the right to Jasper Huijzer who sought out his direct opponent, passed and crossed well from the back line. The measured cross was headed in at the far post by Milan van de Riet: 1-0. Sparta did little in return. There were only a few shots from the second line. The home team's biggest goal opportunity came when the Sparta goalkeeper let go of a D'Leanu Arts cross and there was a real scrimmage in front of goal. Unfortunately, no one got the ball into the goal. And after all, that's all that matters. Just before the halftime signal, PSV suffered a major blow. Out of nowhere, the outside left was able to pick up a cross and score the 1-1.

So PSV could start the second half all over again to take the lead. And they quickly succeeded! For in the 38th minute it was Milan van de Riet again who coolly pushed the ball past the goalkeeper, after he had been sent away by Dyon Dorenbosch. Midway through the second half, the home team was close to scoring their third goal. This time it was Mylian Jimenez who received the ball from Milan on the edge of the box and took a dry shot. His slide was narrowly turned away by the goalkeeper. In the counterattack Sparta did score, making it 2-2. Both teams had some opportunities in the closing stages, but no goals were scored. PSV failed to beat Sparta again and went into the Carnival weekend with a slight hangover. Wednesday, Feb. 21, the match against N.E.C. Nijmegen is on the program. No program next weekend because Orange O15 plays then.

Setup: Aron van Lare (c); D'Leanu Arts, Jenson Seelt (60' Milan Vossen), Jesse Giebels, Nawaaz Landfeld; Mylian Jimenez, Dyon Dorenbosch, Mohamed Nassoh (36' Cel Teunen); Jasper Huijzer (60' Ruben de Mol), Milan van de Riet and Martijn Zuijderwijk.