FC Twente still has to work hard in the last two matches to secure third place. The Enschede team lost the mutual match with their direct competitor AZ (2-1) on Sunday. The defeat was initiated after an unlikely slip by substitute Alec van Hoorenbeeck.
FC Twente still has everything under control. The team still has a lead of two points and still plays at home against relegated Volendam and PEC Zwolle. That does not alter the fact that the loss in Alkmaar was a disappointing one. The team was mainly below par on the ball and clumsily gave away the two goals in the second half. In that respect, the match was similar to the match at Ajax a few weeks ago.
Beautiful attack
And the start was still good for the team. FC Twente took the lead after just five minutes thanks to Sem Steijn. What made that goal so beautiful was the introduction. A beautiful attack in which several players were involved. First there was Mees Hilgers’ pass to Daan Rots. The right striker received the ball perfectly and immediately cut inside. While Naci Ünüvar opened the AZ defense with a running action, Rots found Ricky van Wolfswinkel. He put Ünüvar alone in front of the goalkeeper. Mathew Ryan initially saved, but he had no chance on Steijn’s rebound: 0-1.
No pressure on AZ
After that goal, AZ took control. FC Twente could not put any pressure on the home team and had to go back. AZ did not get any real big chances due to the good defensive work of the visitors, but coach Joseph Oosting will not have been satisfied with the fact that his team did not get the initiative. Yet the first opportunity after the opening goal was for FC Twente. Ünüvar could have made his first start in the 39th minute, but he stranded at the feet of AZ goalkeeper Ryan.
The best chance came just before half-time for AZ, whose lightning-fast attack via several sliders put Yukinair Sukawara in a shooting position. The right wing defender’s effort went narrowly wide.
Quick equalizer
Immediately after halftime, AZ leveled the score. Ibrahim Sadiq came in from the left and was given too much space by Robin Pröpper to lash out. The attacker’s long shot ended up at Lars Unnerstall, but the goalkeeper was unable to hold the ball. The rebound was then a simple tap-in for Ruben van Bommel: 1-1.
Huge mistake
FC Twente then seemed to get into the match a little better, but after 66 minutes things went hopelessly wrong for Alec van Hoorenbeeck, Pröpper’s replacement. The Belgian suddenly slipped with the ball at his feet, giving Vangelis Pavlidis free passage and unpacking the gift: 2-1. It was a bizarre goal.
FC Twente then started the final offensive and also put AZ under pressure for the first time in the match. The team had five attackers on the field in the last ten minutes, but that led to nothing, so it had to happen in the last two games of the season.
Unnerstall; Regeer, Hilgers, Pröpper 6 (57. Van Hoorenbeeck), Smal; Sadilek, Kjolo (63. Eiting), Steijn (63. Boadu), Rots, Van WOlfswinkel, Unuvar (57. Van Bergen)
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Tags: slipup Van Hoorenbeeck costs Twente dearly loss competitor Twente
