Eredivisie: McClaren on top of the Netherlands
Nine games in and things continue to look good for FC Twente, who finally claimed the top of the table all for themselves this last weekend. McClaren's team continued their unbeaten domestic season with another win, this time 3-1 away at mid-table Heracles. Meanwhile nearest rivals PSV fell 2 points behind the Eredivisie table-toppers, after being held 0-0 at Utrecht.
Things didn't initially start too well for FC Twente on Sunday. In the ninth minute the visitors conceded an unnecessary, if slightly dubious looking freekick. Everton curled in the set-piece with his right foot and it managed to allude everyone and bounced in past the goalkeeper.
A single goal was never likely to be enough for Heracles though, as McClaren has assembled a formidable attacking line-up. The equaliser came through the Costa Rican summer signing from Gent- Bryan Ruiz González. In the 31st minute he latched onto a deflected Jannsen cross and buried it with his left foot, for his fifth goal in nine Eredivisie games.
In the second half the visitors slowly cranked up the pressure and eventually delivered 2 killer blows within 2 minutes of each other. Firstly the prolific veteran Blaise NKufo cut into the area from the right by-line and hit a low finish past the keeper.
This was the 34 year olds 5th league goal of the campaign, and it appears that those critics who had written him off prior to this season were foolish to do so. The Swiss international has top-scored in each of his 6 seasons with the club and currently has 106 in 198 appearances!
The best was inevitably saved for last, with virtually their next attack FC Twente struck again. This time the impressive Theo Jannsen, who was signed by McClaren last season, connected with a defensive header and sent a stunning 20 yard volley into the top left corner.
Barring the stoppage-time elimination to Sporting Lisbon from the Champions League, McClaren's team have so far had a perfect start to the new campaign. They are already going strong in the Europa League, where they secured an away win in the harsh arena of Fenerbache. All in all then, FC Twente are looking like a team determined to go one better than last season's runners-up spot.
So to PSV Eindhoven, who have been on an upward trend this term under the stewardship of McClaren's predecessor, Fred Rutten. On Sunday however they were lagging a little and were lucky not to be defeated by the team in fifth place.
On several occasions in the first half Utrecht had PSV scrambling for posession as they linked up play and threatened PSV's goal. From set pieces and the wings they were especially dangerous, but they were thwarted each time by Andreas Isaksson (formerly of Manchester City).
The gloriously named Ricky van Wolfswinkel was unlucky more than once. In the first half the ball broke to him in PSV's box only for Isaksson to charge down his low drive. Soon after his snapshot finally beat the Swede but smacked off the post and flew across the goal face.
PSV were guilty of giving away the ball far too many times and would have been glad to enter half-time at stalemate. Still, Rutten's team came very close to stealing a victory when they too hit the post in the 65th minute. A great 20 yard strike by Otman Bakkal leaving the keeper stranded.
With time running out Utrecht created more openings that were spurned, before Balazs Dzsudzsak was sent off for PSV. The Hungarian received a tad harsh second yellow card and was ushered from the field after placing his hands on the referee.
At this rate Utrecht look like a decent team who may well push on and attain a Europa League space this season. Whereas PSV will hope that this was just a blip. They will have to assert themselves better if they want to challenge for the Eredivisie.
Elsewhere, Ajax were held to a 2-2 draw away at Roda JC's. The hosts though down in 14th place were ultimately an equal match to Martin Jol's side, but they faced lots of early pressure. Ajax had 3 good opportunities to open the scoring and hit the post via Miralem Sulejmani in only the fifth minute.
The breakthorugh came in the 22nd minute when Ajax were awarded a penalty for Davy de Fauw's handling of a cross. This was emphatically converted by Luis Suárez for an incredible 11th goal in 9 league games, but the setback spurred Roda JC to get into the game and compete.
A mere minute later and the home side were on equal terms, much to Jol's chagrin. Anouar Hadouir put in some determined work near the corner flag when closely marked by 2 Ajax defenders. He then threaded a pass between them for Arnaud Sutchuin, who worked his way into the area and saw his low drive deflected over the keeper for 1-1.
Ajax started the second half as they had the first, going close with a couple of efforts, but they were soon to find themselves 2-1 behind. Willem Jannsen cut back the ball from the left wing and found Boldizsár Bodor, whose first touch placed the ball low into the Ajax goal from inside the edge of the area.
Whilst Roda searched for ways to extend their lead there was alawys the danger of Ajax breaking on the counter-attack. Such an attack led to Roda conceding a free-kick on the edge of their area in the 66th minute, the insatiable Suárez curled a sweet shot into the top left corner for the equaliser. There were no further goals but time remained for Ajax's Urby Emanuelson to be sent off when he should really have had a yellow card instead.
As for the rest of the league, Feyenoord maintained their decent start to the season with another win that puts them in fourth place behind Ajax on goal difference. This time around they defeated RKC Waalwijk 3-0. Not a very surprising result against the Eredivisie's minnows, but they had managed to destroy Roda JC 4-1 the previous weekend.
Unfortunately for RKC Waalwijk that result is a mirage compared to every other game so far, all of which they have lost. The goals came in the 28th, 73rd and stoppage time minutes, thanks to Andwele Slory, a Tony Varela OG and Georgino Wijnaldum. For now, Mario Been's team must also be considered as viable title-challengers. Whilst RKC Waalwijk will hope that they can perform like they did against Roda more than once this season, however unlikely it seems.
Finally, reigning champions AZ Alkmaar also won, this time a 1-0 home victory versus NAC Breda through Jeremain Lens' third goal of the campaign. Try as they might Ronald Koeman's team cannot string together any consistency, thus far they have won 5league games and lost 4.
This season is already looking like one of transition for AZ and they could find themselves having to settle for fifth place come the end. Meaning realistically the Eredivisie is lining up to be a 4 team race....I wonder where I've seen that before?
The rest:
Vitesse 2-0 Sparta Rotterdam
ADO den Haag 1-1 Groningen
Willem II 1-1 NEC
Heerenveen 1-1 VVV Venlo
Things didn't initially start too well for FC Twente on Sunday. In the ninth minute the visitors conceded an unnecessary, if slightly dubious looking freekick. Everton curled in the set-piece with his right foot and it managed to allude everyone and bounced in past the goalkeeper.
A single goal was never likely to be enough for Heracles though, as McClaren has assembled a formidable attacking line-up. The equaliser came through the Costa Rican summer signing from Gent- Bryan Ruiz González. In the 31st minute he latched onto a deflected Jannsen cross and buried it with his left foot, for his fifth goal in nine Eredivisie games.
In the second half the visitors slowly cranked up the pressure and eventually delivered 2 killer blows within 2 minutes of each other. Firstly the prolific veteran Blaise NKufo cut into the area from the right by-line and hit a low finish past the keeper.
This was the 34 year olds 5th league goal of the campaign, and it appears that those critics who had written him off prior to this season were foolish to do so. The Swiss international has top-scored in each of his 6 seasons with the club and currently has 106 in 198 appearances!
The best was inevitably saved for last, with virtually their next attack FC Twente struck again. This time the impressive Theo Jannsen, who was signed by McClaren last season, connected with a defensive header and sent a stunning 20 yard volley into the top left corner.
Barring the stoppage-time elimination to Sporting Lisbon from the Champions League, McClaren's team have so far had a perfect start to the new campaign. They are already going strong in the Europa League, where they secured an away win in the harsh arena of Fenerbache. All in all then, FC Twente are looking like a team determined to go one better than last season's runners-up spot.
So to PSV Eindhoven, who have been on an upward trend this term under the stewardship of McClaren's predecessor, Fred Rutten. On Sunday however they were lagging a little and were lucky not to be defeated by the team in fifth place.
On several occasions in the first half Utrecht had PSV scrambling for posession as they linked up play and threatened PSV's goal. From set pieces and the wings they were especially dangerous, but they were thwarted each time by Andreas Isaksson (formerly of Manchester City).
The gloriously named Ricky van Wolfswinkel was unlucky more than once. In the first half the ball broke to him in PSV's box only for Isaksson to charge down his low drive. Soon after his snapshot finally beat the Swede but smacked off the post and flew across the goal face.
PSV were guilty of giving away the ball far too many times and would have been glad to enter half-time at stalemate. Still, Rutten's team came very close to stealing a victory when they too hit the post in the 65th minute. A great 20 yard strike by Otman Bakkal leaving the keeper stranded.
With time running out Utrecht created more openings that were spurned, before Balazs Dzsudzsak was sent off for PSV. The Hungarian received a tad harsh second yellow card and was ushered from the field after placing his hands on the referee.
At this rate Utrecht look like a decent team who may well push on and attain a Europa League space this season. Whereas PSV will hope that this was just a blip. They will have to assert themselves better if they want to challenge for the Eredivisie.
Elsewhere, Ajax were held to a 2-2 draw away at Roda JC's. The hosts though down in 14th place were ultimately an equal match to Martin Jol's side, but they faced lots of early pressure. Ajax had 3 good opportunities to open the scoring and hit the post via Miralem Sulejmani in only the fifth minute.
The breakthorugh came in the 22nd minute when Ajax were awarded a penalty for Davy de Fauw's handling of a cross. This was emphatically converted by Luis Suárez for an incredible 11th goal in 9 league games, but the setback spurred Roda JC to get into the game and compete.
A mere minute later and the home side were on equal terms, much to Jol's chagrin. Anouar Hadouir put in some determined work near the corner flag when closely marked by 2 Ajax defenders. He then threaded a pass between them for Arnaud Sutchuin, who worked his way into the area and saw his low drive deflected over the keeper for 1-1.
Ajax started the second half as they had the first, going close with a couple of efforts, but they were soon to find themselves 2-1 behind. Willem Jannsen cut back the ball from the left wing and found Boldizsár Bodor, whose first touch placed the ball low into the Ajax goal from inside the edge of the area.
Whilst Roda searched for ways to extend their lead there was alawys the danger of Ajax breaking on the counter-attack. Such an attack led to Roda conceding a free-kick on the edge of their area in the 66th minute, the insatiable Suárez curled a sweet shot into the top left corner for the equaliser. There were no further goals but time remained for Ajax's Urby Emanuelson to be sent off when he should really have had a yellow card instead.
As for the rest of the league, Feyenoord maintained their decent start to the season with another win that puts them in fourth place behind Ajax on goal difference. This time around they defeated RKC Waalwijk 3-0. Not a very surprising result against the Eredivisie's minnows, but they had managed to destroy Roda JC 4-1 the previous weekend.
Unfortunately for RKC Waalwijk that result is a mirage compared to every other game so far, all of which they have lost. The goals came in the 28th, 73rd and stoppage time minutes, thanks to Andwele Slory, a Tony Varela OG and Georgino Wijnaldum. For now, Mario Been's team must also be considered as viable title-challengers. Whilst RKC Waalwijk will hope that they can perform like they did against Roda more than once this season, however unlikely it seems.
Finally, reigning champions AZ Alkmaar also won, this time a 1-0 home victory versus NAC Breda through Jeremain Lens' third goal of the campaign. Try as they might Ronald Koeman's team cannot string together any consistency, thus far they have won 5league games and lost 4.
This season is already looking like one of transition for AZ and they could find themselves having to settle for fifth place come the end. Meaning realistically the Eredivisie is lining up to be a 4 team race....I wonder where I've seen that before?
The rest:
Vitesse 2-0 Sparta Rotterdam
ADO den Haag 1-1 Groningen
Willem II 1-1 NEC
Heerenveen 1-1 VVV Venlo
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