FINALLY!

Today Sparta Rotterdam came to the Herdgang. And this is a good team. Everyone knows that. Mutual duels before were always exciting.
And after several defeats in a row, confidence began to wane. In short, things weren't going so well lately.
That would change, and today. Sparta was warned.
Fierce start by the Spartans and the first chance was theirs as well. Slack shot into the grasping arms of "Stan De Man".
After five minutes ball recovery in the middle by Cody, nice pass to Jordan, measured cross to Raphael, but also his shot lacked the necessary power.
Two minutes later it was Robin-Time, his free kick went just over and in the ensuing out kick Robin is sent deep, goes alone to the goalkeeper, but he managed to parry the shot well.

Sparta's reply could also count. Free kick from just outside the sixteen, but Stan glanced the ball onto the crossbar.
PSV then again, with a blast from Cody at the goalkeeper and on the other side a Sparta attacker comes alone at Stan but he decides over. We are then 10 minutes far, and we were not bored a lick.
So it went up and down well, both teams kept each other, as far as chances go, well balanced.
Another high cross that Stan just couldn't reach was turned off the line by an alert Armando.
Steven's man is going to sleep well again tonight, and I think everyone else why. The TGV was running at full speed again.
Huseyin was also in the mood again today, juggling the ball again, and that is a joy for the football fan. But ... Sparta did not let themselves be beaten by PSV and came up with
a witty answer. To everyone's surprise at the time. Because another high cross that Stan tapped away came exactly at the head of a Spartan and he did not miss. 0-1.
Now it was PSV's turn again, clever free kick by Björn, right on the nod of Jordan, but he looked for his foot and missed his shot. A header was a better option here, we thought.
But we got chances again, and that's where the shoe has been wrong lately.
Lars was the lock on the door again today, together with Armando and Luc it was well together at the back. If Lars then goes up front and serves Jordan with a sublime pass, yes then it looks
rosy for our boys. Only the finishing was just missing. But as I said, we create chances and as long as that happens, you have a chance to score.

We go to rest with 0-1.

Right after halftime, Cody with a deep ball to James, he passes the goalkeeper, but he can just tap James so he can't get to the ball.
Professional mistake by the goalkeeper, but just enough to prevent James from scoring.
It's ingrained in him from an early age, those subtle mistakes. But it's part of the game, of course.
The substitute Baggio is also a warrior you can take to the front. He had a good start and got in front of his defender a few times.
On the other side there is a Björn Bastiaans who also knows how to stand his ground.
And that trainer enjoyed his boys, because the fire was there, and we missed that for a while. Perhaps because of the lingering cold.
James gets a few more measured crosses from Jordan, but he wants to score too badly, and then it doesn't work. A relaxed James bowls those balls in with his eyes closed.
In the 44th minute a corner kick for Sparta, it blows over everything, and comes into the feet of Jordan, who takes his yards and plays Cody perfectly into the run. And who then does the rest, "contortionist" Cody slaloms between the defenders as if they weren't there and pops in steel hard.
We needed this. Huseyin who once again put Jordan in position with a clever heel, but his shot was cleverly saved by the goalkeeper.
Björn who then once again goes through with power and passes nicely to Ruud, who turns free nicely and looks for the sixteen, but is torpedoed just before or just inside the sixteen. The referee decides just outside.
Jordan pops at goal, but again the keeper who saves. On the ensuing corner kick by Jordan, Armando puts his head against it and nods rock hard inside. 2-1 in the final seconds.
And our boys.....zei went crazy. How they longed for a win. The relief was great when the referee ended the match.


Now everyone from PSV's supporters know, that the result is not paramount. But you could see from the little faces after the game that this win was a joy.
And when you work so hard for it, that may be rewarded. It was less fun for the visitors of course, but they could look back on a nice and sportive match.

Report courtesy of Joel Lekens