Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 4:24 PM• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 16:32

Sparta Rotterdam can look back on a successful resumption in the Eredivisie. The formation of trainer Henk Fraser was 3-1 too strong for Fortuna Sittard at home on Sunday afternoon. The basis for the first victory of the still fledgling season was laid in the first half, when Bryan Smeets and Lennart Thy managed to score for Sparta. In the second half, Mats Seuntjens scored the most beautiful goal on Het Kasteel, but it was not enough to avert Fortuna’s defeat in Rotterdam. Mohammed Osman, who was recruited on Friday, immediately had a base place at Sparta.

Fraser saw his team start very well against Fortuna and the opening goal was inevitable. A measured cross from the side of Sven Mijnans in the twentieth minute ended up at Smeets and the midfielder shot the ball against the grain and with a volley behind goalkeeper Yanick van Osch. Vito van Crooij had the 2-0 on his shoe after almost half an hour of play, but face to face with Van Osch, the wing attacker failed to score. Thy doubled Sparta’s lead a short time later with a beautiful bang in the intersection. The preparatory work was once again by Mijnans.

Fortuna barely got involved in the remainder of the first half and Sparta’s 2-0 lead halfway through was deserved. Four minutes after the break, however, the tension was back at Het Kasteel. Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye had no chance at all on a nice long shot from Seuntjens. After more than an hour of play, Mijnans, involved in the goals of Sparta, was relieved by Emanuel Emegha. A golden move by Fraser, because the breakthrough Emegha hit the short corner in the 73rd minute after a well-watched cross by Smeets.

Shortly afterwards, Fraser decided to take the battle-weary Smeets and Van Crooij to the side and bring in fresh forces from Aaron Meijers and Laurent Jans. Twelve minutes before the end, a fine attack by Sparta deserved a better fate. However, Van Osch prevented Fortuna from falling further behind by turning Thy’s bang into a corner. Giannis Masouras made his debut for the home club in the final phase. Thanks to the first win of the season, Sparta rises to thirteenth place in the Eredivisie, while Fortuna remains in eleventh place.