AMSTERDAM. NEC defeats Sparta Rotterdam with a 2-0 win with a goal from D. Proper (32′) and a goal from C. Verdonk (36′). Sparta Rotterdam lost this match even if it was better in terms of ball possession (56%).

The match was played at the Sportpark De Weeren stadium in Amsterdam on Saturday and it started at 9:00 pm local time. The referee was Dennis Higler with the help of Joost van Zuilen and Charl Schaap. The 4th official was Martijn Vos. The weather was light rain. The temperature was quite cold at 5.64 degrees Celsius or 42.15 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 82%.​

Match Statistics​

Ball possession

Sparta Rotterdam had a superior ball possession 56% while NEC was struggling with a 44% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Sparta Rotterdam was more aggressive with 67 dangerous attacks and 13 shots of which 6 were on target. Even so, NEC managed to find the solution to win this match.​

NEC shot 22 times, 5 on target, 14 off target. Regarding the opposition, Sparta Rotterdam shot 13 times, 6 on target, 7 off target.

Cards

NEC received 1 yellow card (Sontje Hansen). On the opposite side, Sparta Rotterdam received 4 yellow cards (Hamza el Dahri, Bart Vriends, Djevencio van der Kust and Joshua Kitolano).

Standings

After this encounter, NEC has 33 points to sit in the 7th place. On the opposite side, Sparta Rotterdam will stays with 29 points to hold in the 9th place.

Next matches

In the next match in the Eredivisie, NEC will play away with FC Volendam on the 3rd of March with a 12-1 head to head statistic in favor of NEC (2 draws).

Sparta Rotterdam will host AZ on the 3rd of March with a 14-2 head to head statistic in favor of AZ (6 draws).

NEC – Formation

NEC adopted the 4-2-3-1 line-up (4-2-3-1).

The manager Rogier Meijer decided to play with the following team: Jasper Cillessen (8.4), Bart van Rooij (7.3), Philippe Sandler  (7.0), Calvin Verdonk (8.1), Youri Baas (7.5), Mees Hoedemakers (7.7), Dirk Proper (7.8), Kodai Sano (8.1), Tjaronn Chery (7.3), Rober González (7.3) and Koki Ogawa (7.3).

The home team had on the bench: Sontje Hansen (6.4), Robin Roefs, Brayann Pereira, Lars Olden Larsen (6.4), Bram Nuytinck (6.7), Sylla Sow (6.6), Lasse Schöne (6.7), Yvandro Borges Sanches and Rijk Janse.

NEC could not rely on the presence of Lasse Schöne (injured) and Bram Nuytinck (injured).

Substitutions

NEC made 5 changes: Koki Ogawa for Sylla Sow (73′), Rober González for Sontje Hansen (61′), Kodai Sano for Lars Olden Larsen (86′), Dirk Proper for Lasse Schöne (74′) and Philippe Sandler  for Bram Nuytinck (74′).

Player of the match: Jasper Cillessen​

As per our analysis, the most impressive player for NEC was the goalkeeper: Jasper Cillessen. His rating is 8.36. He performed 6 saves.

Sparta Rotterdam – Formation

Also Sparta Rotterdam adopted the 4-2-3-1 line-up (4-2-3-1).

Jeroen Rijsdijk played with: Jonathan de Guzmán, N. Olij (6.7), Saïd Bakari (7.1), Bart Vriends (6.6), Mike Eerdhuijzen (7.3), Djevencio van der Kust (6.7), Joshua Kitolano (6.8), Metinho (7.7), Shunsuke Mito (6.4), Arno Verschueren (7.0) and Koki Saito (6.4), Tobias Lauritsen (7.0).

They had on the bench: Django Warmerdam, Pelle Clement (7.0), Rick Meissen (7.0), Tijs Velthuis, Sergi Rosanas, Hamza el Dahri, Charles-Andreas Brym (6.4), Youri Schoonderwaldt, Rayvien Rosario (6.3) and Kaylen Jermaine Danny Reitmaier.

Substitutions

Sparta Rotterdam made 5 changes: Bart Vriends for Rick Meissen (46′), Metinho for Pelle Clement (74′), Shunsuke Mito for Charles-Andreas Brym (74′), Joshua Kitolano for Hamza el Dahri (90′) and Saïd Bakari for Rayvien Rosario (88′).

Player of the match: Metinho​

Following our analysis, the most impressive player for Sparta Rotterdam was Metinho.

His rating is 7.7 with 41 passes (90% accurate) and 2 key passes. He won 6 duels out of 9. He performed 1 cross.

Results of the day

These are the results of the day in the Eredivisie.​

• PEC Zwolle – PSV – 1-7
• NEC – Sparta Rotterdam – 2-0
• RKC Waalwijk – Fortuna Sittard – 0-1