Today the last game of the year 2016, also the last game of the first half of the league. How nicely the KNVB planned that the No. 1 against the No. 2 of the league play each other. If PSV wins today, the gap with ADO den Haag will be 11 points and with Sparta 12 points. So Sparta will do everything possible to not let this happen. In the 4th minute Livano has to pull the emergency brake and make a professional foul on the side of the pitch, from the free kick that Sparta gets for this, Sparta becomes dangerous but the ball goes past. After this we get to see a football battle with a lot of fight, not really high quality football, but by both teams there is a lot of fight. Sparta gives PSV no mm space to play football, and tries it themselves mainly with long balls. PSV does try to build up, but because Sparta puts pressure quickly it is a lot of fighting on the pitch. Every now and then there are little chances, like Chahid's shot on the back line, but he can't get the ball back to a player and the Sparta goalkeeper can reach it. Or a shot by Milan from 35 meters which goes about 30 cm over. Milan's free kick also went just past the wrong side of the post. In the 28 minute it was Sven who played himself free in the 16 Sparta players, he shot at goal and the ball changed direction and hit the net, 0-1 and a nice halftime result.
In the 2nd half, Sparta will be looking for a goal even more. As the match progresses PSV gets more and more into the physical play of Sparta, so it will be an exciting battle, for every meter of Rotterdam ground. Both teams get small chances but neither team is really dangerous, it looks very long that the 3 pnt will go to Eindhoven. But Sparta goes forward with more and more people to try and score that one goal, and yes 1 minute before the end of the game there is the equalizer, I think given the work ethic of Sparta it was deserved, both teams gave everything. Disappointing of course for the boys that a great half season ended in the last minute. But with 13 games played, 34 points, 40 goals for and 6 against, and a lead of 9 points over no. 2 in the league, they can start the second half of the competition with peace of mind. In total they have played 26 games with only 4 losses and a goal average of 70-21, so they can say they have had a successful first half of the season. More important is the development that each player has gone through in the past half year, each player has individually become a better player and is certainly not standing still in his development, for this certainly a compliment to all the people who have been working with the players. For the next six months there are also many new challenges for the players on the program, where they can develop step by step to a better player, such as matches for the championship with the pressure that comes with it, major international tournaments both in the Netherlands and abroad with everything that comes with it such as travel, different cultures and other opponents with different views on football. So challenges enough for this very talented group. But first enjoy the deserved vacation.
On behalf of the staff of PSV U13 we wish everyone happy holidays and a prosperous 2017.