Tonight the second game of the NextGen Series against the leader in our pool Sporting Club Portugal from Lisbon.
The team is well prepared by the coach and we enter the field in good spirits. In the beginning we do notice that Sporting have a very nice, well I may say, a good team. The tempo is high and therefore the game moves quickly from one side to the other. After about twenty minutes we get a bit more grip on their game and the first small chances come for both teams. Yet we have to wait until the 43rd minute before we get the first really big chance after a cross from Geraldo to Zakaria but the goalkeeper manages to turn the ball into a corner. We go into the break with a 0 - 0 score.
After the break we picked up the thread and got a better grip on the Portuguese game. (During the warm-up, the trainers took a good look at the Portuguese and analyzed their tactics well). The game remains interesting to watch, even for the neutral (if any) spectator. There are now more chances, but for now both goalkeepers keep their goal clean. After 74 minutes the goal is finally scored. A good attack reaches Elvio, who knows to give a wide pass which at first is intercepted but still reaches Rai, who knows to pop the ball into the goal from the edge of the sixteen. Excitement on the field, on the bench and in the stands. Sporting must now play even more on the attack to still save a point but every time there is Eric who drives the Portuguese to despair and makes psv happy. Class Eric.
After a few minutes of injury time the referee finally gave the final signal.
So those points are in. That makes six now. Just as many as Sporting but they have played one more game.
Now off to Glasgow to face Celtic next Wednesday. The preparation started right away Thursday morning with real Scottish weather.
Good game today men and a deserved victory. On to Celtic and good luck. We can take a big step towards second round there.


Verstappen, Brenet, Koch, Bazoer, Heesakkers, Horsten, van Overbeek, Mahmoed (63rd Noor), Antonio (86th Rayhi), Vloet (81st Leemans), Bakkali (81st Sanoh).