Dutch football is in the shitter!
After the amazingly sucky performance by the Dutch national team at last year's European Championships, top Dutch teams are doing the same, in their own league and in Europe.
They have all been ousted from European competitions, in humiliating ways. And, in the league, none of the top teams seem to be managing a string of wins longer than 2-3 in a row.
As a consequence, a team like Vitesse Arnhem has become title contender.
And the likes of Heerenveen have started to beat the leader (and even change the leader, most likely, if ajax manages to pull out a win, at home, tomorrow).
Today, the highlight is on PSV's truly weak performance at Heerenveen.
To give but one example, the second goal they conceded was a goal that second-league teams, in other top countries would have probably done better with. It's no surprise that a team that defends like this loses to Heerenveen.
(Last year, Heerenveen - PSV ended 1-5.)
Highlights:
Showing posts with label Heerenveen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heerenveen. Show all posts
Saturday, 9 March 2013
Monday, 4 June 2012
Netherlands - UEFA Club Competitions Participants - 2012-2013
Ajax Amsterdam --> Champions League Group Stage
Feyenoord Rotterdam --> Champions League Third Qualifying Round
PSV Eindhoven --> Europa League Play-off Round
AZ Alkmaar --> Europa League Play-off Round
SC Heerenveen --> Europa League Third Qualifying Round
Twente Enschede --> Europa League First Qualifying Round
Vitesse Arnhem --> Europa League Second Qualifying Round
Notes: Netherlands was one of the three countries to be awarded an extra Europa League berth, because of the excellent fair-play coefficient of Dutch teams. This place, in the first qualifying round of the competition, went to Twente, who was not supposed to play in the competition at all (as they were not winners of the Dutch Eredivisie Europa League play-off competition). Vitesse Arnhem won the Dutch Eredivisie Europa League play-off competition, against NEC Nijmegen and then RKC Waalwijk (who defeated Twente Enschede), thereby gaining a place in the Europa League Second Qualifying Round.
Feyenoord Rotterdam --> Champions League Third Qualifying Round
PSV Eindhoven --> Europa League Play-off Round
AZ Alkmaar --> Europa League Play-off Round
SC Heerenveen --> Europa League Third Qualifying Round
Twente Enschede --> Europa League First Qualifying Round
Vitesse Arnhem --> Europa League Second Qualifying Round
Notes: Netherlands was one of the three countries to be awarded an extra Europa League berth, because of the excellent fair-play coefficient of Dutch teams. This place, in the first qualifying round of the competition, went to Twente, who was not supposed to play in the competition at all (as they were not winners of the Dutch Eredivisie Europa League play-off competition). Vitesse Arnhem won the Dutch Eredivisie Europa League play-off competition, against NEC Nijmegen and then RKC Waalwijk (who defeated Twente Enschede), thereby gaining a place in the Europa League Second Qualifying Round.
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Okay, Ajax Is Going to Win, But Who'll Be Second?
Ajax got yet another win, by beating disappointing Twente, 2-1, in Enschede. They continue to have a six-point lead over Feyenoord.
Speaking of the team from Rotterdam, they got the other impressive win of this matchday, by downing former long-term leaders AZ Alkmaar, 1-0, at home. Now, Feyenoord is second, finally, and its players are looking at Champions League football next season if only they keep this run going.
PSV managed to take over third, because both Alkmaar and Twente (who has a better goal difference than PSV, by the way) lost this matchday.
Heerenveen, who also won, is now up to fifth, while Twente drops to sixth. And Alkmaar, of course, is fourth now.
1 Ajax 32 21 7 4 88-35 +53 70p
2 Feyenoord 32 19 7 6 63-34 +29 64p
3 PSV 32 19 6 7 79-46 +33 63p
4 AZ 32 18 7 7 62-34 +28 61p
5 Heerenveen 32 17 10 5 73-53 +20 61p
6 Twente 32 17 9 6 77-38 +39 60p
Speaking of the team from Rotterdam, they got the other impressive win of this matchday, by downing former long-term leaders AZ Alkmaar, 1-0, at home. Now, Feyenoord is second, finally, and its players are looking at Champions League football next season if only they keep this run going.
PSV managed to take over third, because both Alkmaar and Twente (who has a better goal difference than PSV, by the way) lost this matchday.
Heerenveen, who also won, is now up to fifth, while Twente drops to sixth. And Alkmaar, of course, is fourth now.
1 Ajax 32 21 7 4 88-35 +53 70p
2 Feyenoord 32 19 7 6 63-34 +29 64p
3 PSV 32 19 6 7 79-46 +33 63p
4 AZ 32 18 7 7 62-34 +28 61p
5 Heerenveen 32 17 10 5 73-53 +20 61p
6 Twente 32 17 9 6 77-38 +39 60p
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Another Interesting Day in Holland
The most fun league in the world, to watch right now, if you know football, just has to be the Dutch Eredivisie.
So many teams vying for the title, and so many mess-ups between all of them.
Today, the leaders, Alkmaar, as well as seemingly the in-form team, Twente, both stumbled.
AZ Alkmaar could only manage a 0-0 draw at home, against lowly NAC Breda (who defeated PSV just the previous matchday, though), while Twente lost at home to Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Speaking of Feyenoord, they've just joined Heerenveen in the group of hopefuls. (I call them "hopefuls"because they're three points behind the lowest of the top three.)
Twente Enschede is on 48, too, but they have a game in hand.
Ajax is the only team that at the moment seems to be obtaining just victories. The Hague is not always an easy place to go and face the local team, but Ajax beat Den Haag 2-0 there in a convincing manner.
Because of Alkmaar's draw, Ajax is now only one point behind top spot.
Highlights from Alkmaar - Breda 0-0:
Highlights from Den Haag - Ajax 0-2:
Highlights from Twente - Feyenoord 0-2:
Highlights from PSV - Heerenveen 5-1:
So many teams vying for the title, and so many mess-ups between all of them.
Today, the leaders, Alkmaar, as well as seemingly the in-form team, Twente, both stumbled.
AZ Alkmaar could only manage a 0-0 draw at home, against lowly NAC Breda (who defeated PSV just the previous matchday, though), while Twente lost at home to Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Speaking of Feyenoord, they've just joined Heerenveen in the group of hopefuls. (I call them "hopefuls"because they're three points behind the lowest of the top three.)
Twente Enschede is on 48, too, but they have a game in hand.
Ajax is the only team that at the moment seems to be obtaining just victories. The Hague is not always an easy place to go and face the local team, but Ajax beat Den Haag 2-0 there in a convincing manner.
Because of Alkmaar's draw, Ajax is now only one point behind top spot.
Highlights from Alkmaar - Breda 0-0:
Highlights from Den Haag - Ajax 0-2:
Highlights from Twente - Feyenoord 0-2:
Highlights from PSV - Heerenveen 5-1:
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Feye... Nooo!
Feyenoord Rotterdam, or rather Guyon Fernandez, fought valiantly to come back from 0-2 to 2-2 in Eindhoven. They should have gotten the draw, but PSV's pressure made Feyenoord's defensive players lose their cool. It ended 3-2 for Philips Sport Vereniging.
Labyad's goal, in minute 85, was, pure and simple, a gift from the guests' defense. The PSV player only had to push in the ball, repeatedly mishandled and lost by Feyenoord, when it reached him.
This scrappy, random goal caused Feyenoord to lose 1 point, and PSV to gain 2 more. PSV Eindhoven also stays at the top of the standings thanks to this win.
Moreover, the leaders gain two points over AZ Alkmaar, who could not build on their win in Brussels, in the Europa League, in midweek, and drew 3-3, at home, against Heerenveen. The third-placed team, therefore, also lost two points in their attempt to follow PSV.
If there is another true winner this matchday, it's Twente Enschede. Steve McClaren's team managed to hold out against pushy Utrecht, who even hit the post in the second half. Final score: 1-0 for Twente, Luuk de Jong with the goal (in minute 45).
Ajax also won, beating Excelsion, 4-1, away from home, but, given that PSV won, they gain no ground on the leader.
Labyad's goal, in minute 85, was, pure and simple, a gift from the guests' defense. The PSV player only had to push in the ball, repeatedly mishandled and lost by Feyenoord, when it reached him.
This scrappy, random goal caused Feyenoord to lose 1 point, and PSV to gain 2 more. PSV Eindhoven also stays at the top of the standings thanks to this win.
Moreover, the leaders gain two points over AZ Alkmaar, who could not build on their win in Brussels, in the Europa League, in midweek, and drew 3-3, at home, against Heerenveen. The third-placed team, therefore, also lost two points in their attempt to follow PSV.
If there is another true winner this matchday, it's Twente Enschede. Steve McClaren's team managed to hold out against pushy Utrecht, who even hit the post in the second half. Final score: 1-0 for Twente, Luuk de Jong with the goal (in minute 45).
Ajax also won, beating Excelsion, 4-1, away from home, but, given that PSV won, they gain no ground on the leader.
What A Day in Holland!
I don't remember the last time a single day (- not even a full matchday -) in Dutch football had so many interesting encounters.
On Sunday, all four scheduled matches involve teams that may have something to say in the title race. Some, more than one.
Even Ajax could get back into the chase, particularly if PSV, Twente and Alkmaar, all playing in separate encounters, fail to win.
Four of these teams, PSV, Alkmaar, Heerenveen and Twente, all have chances of finishing the day on top of the Eredivisie, the last three if other results go their way.
The most mouth-watering matches are, of course, the traditional derby PSV - Feyenoord (with Feyenoord also just four points behind the pace of the leaders), and, of course, second versus third, Alkmaar - Heerenveen.
You know at least two of these teams will drop points. Which ones will it be?
And what if all six drop points?
(...Although, for Ajax's sake, it better not be them, or they could end up eight points behind the leaders, again, and all the hype after the victory against Man. U., at Old Trafford, would all be for nothing.
On Sunday, all four scheduled matches involve teams that may have something to say in the title race. Some, more than one.
Even Ajax could get back into the chase, particularly if PSV, Twente and Alkmaar, all playing in separate encounters, fail to win.
Four of these teams, PSV, Alkmaar, Heerenveen and Twente, all have chances of finishing the day on top of the Eredivisie, the last three if other results go their way.
The most mouth-watering matches are, of course, the traditional derby PSV - Feyenoord (with Feyenoord also just four points behind the pace of the leaders), and, of course, second versus third, Alkmaar - Heerenveen.
You know at least two of these teams will drop points. Which ones will it be?
And what if all six drop points?
(...Although, for Ajax's sake, it better not be them, or they could end up eight points behind the leaders, again, and all the hype after the victory against Man. U., at Old Trafford, would all be for nothing.
| The matches: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12:30 -- Excelsior - Ajax 14:30 -- PSV - Feyenoord 14:30 -- Twente - Utrecht 16:30 -- AZ Alkmaar - Heerenveen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Humiliated, But Still on Top
PSV Eindhoven lost at Groningen today.
But the manner in which they lost was not one suitable to a team that is number 1.
Hyun-Jun's first goal (minute 29) can be attributed to somewhat poor defending, but the other two goals were even more disgraceful for PSV to concede.
Bacuna's goal, 6 minutes after half time, came exactly when the team from Eindhoven were pressing the hosts, looking for the equalizer. The counter-attack was brilliantly played, and Bacuna just had to score.
However, the icing on the cake, or the completion of the humiliation, depending on which angle you view it from, was Hyun-Jun's second goal, in minute 74, which was a real spectacle to watch, and funny, too. PSV players simply looked like fools, especially the defender who first lost the ball.
Luckily for PSV, though, Alkmaar also crashed and burned, at Utrecht, so there is no change at the top. At least, not at the moment.
However, Twente can now draw level with the leaders when they play their game in hand, because they won today (and find themselves 3 points behind). And there even seems to be a threat from Heerenveen, who is just two points behind after their win yesterday.
Highlights:
But the manner in which they lost was not one suitable to a team that is number 1.
Hyun-Jun's first goal (minute 29) can be attributed to somewhat poor defending, but the other two goals were even more disgraceful for PSV to concede.
Bacuna's goal, 6 minutes after half time, came exactly when the team from Eindhoven were pressing the hosts, looking for the equalizer. The counter-attack was brilliantly played, and Bacuna just had to score.
However, the icing on the cake, or the completion of the humiliation, depending on which angle you view it from, was Hyun-Jun's second goal, in minute 74, which was a real spectacle to watch, and funny, too. PSV players simply looked like fools, especially the defender who first lost the ball.
Luckily for PSV, though, Alkmaar also crashed and burned, at Utrecht, so there is no change at the top. At least, not at the moment.
However, Twente can now draw level with the leaders when they play their game in hand, because they won today (and find themselves 3 points behind). And there even seems to be a threat from Heerenveen, who is just two points behind after their win yesterday.
Highlights:
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