Sparta quickly overcomes deficit and wins easily over Vitesse

Sparta Rotterdam also won its second confrontation with Vitesse this season. After the 4-0 in Arnhem it was now 3-1 at Kasteel, bringing Sparta back to one point from number five FC Twente.

The slowly sinking Vitesse suffered its fourth defeat in a row, but maintains its thirteenth place in the league for now.

It was only the second time in 28 years that both clubs were active in the premier league that the Rotterdammers won a double. Only in the first season (1971/1972) were they able to do so.

The match got off to an early start. Thanks to a trick by Kacper Kozlowski, who rounded Koki Saito on the inside after a short Vitesse corner kick and laid the ball back to Dominik Oroz. The latter gave Sparta their first goal of the season from a corner with a dry blast.

Phillip Cocu’s team, which has won more often away from home this season (three times) than in Arnhem (two), could not enjoy the good start for long. Arno Verschueren headed the equalizer in the 11th minute from a free kick by Vito van Crooij: 1-1.

It was already his fifth goal with his head this season for Verschueren – and no premier league player can imitate him – and for Sparta the thirteenth header goal, one more than PSV can produce.

Even before the first half hour was over, Tobias Lauritsen headed wide in a promising position and saw a shot turned away by Kjell Scherpen. The goalkeeper on the opposite side also came into action with success: Nick Olij made himself wide enough to keep Kozlowski from an effective rebound.

Shortly before the halftime signal, Saito rewarded a long sprint by right back Shurandy Sambo. His cross came via Scherpen’s hand to the Japanese, who suddenly took the ball on the slipper: 2-1.

After the break, Sparta went hunting for a third goal. Saito and Sambo took the Arnhem goal under fire, but Scherpen did not budge. But neither did the home club defensively. Vitesse was powerless offensively and fifteen minutes before time also lost left back Maximilian Wittek with a red card after tackling Sambo too hard.

In the closing stages, Scherpen distinguished himself again when Verschueren stormed towards him, but from the corner kick that followed, Joshua Kitolano still headed the decisive 3-1 behind the goalkeeper.