Vitesse delivers world performance and thanks to Spurs results it is fully participating

Thursday, November 25, 2021 at 8:38 PM• Jeroen van Poppel

Vitesse scored a very good point against Stade Rennes on Thursday evening at the last minute. The Arnhem team played bravely in France and came back from a 3-1 deficit after the break: 3-3. Because Tottenham Hotspur lost with ten men to NS Mura (2-1), Vitesse is still fully involved in the winter in the Conference League. Vitesse is equal in points with Tottenham (seven points) and will play at home against Mura in the last game. The Arnhemmers have a slightly less good goal difference than the Spurs (+1 to +3). Rennes has already qualified after Thursday evening.

Letsch surprised with his position and put Elazar Dasa on the bench, because the right-back showed up too late for the game discussion. Romaric Yapi therefore had a chance in the starting line-up, which also applied to Daan Huisman. The talent was surprisingly preferred in attack over Nikolai Frederiksen and Thomas Buitink. Vitesse went to Rennes knowing that probably only a win would be enough to advance.

The first shooting opportunity came in the sixth minute for Rennes midfielder Lovro Majer, who shot wide from the rump. Three minutes later, Vitesse gave away the opening goal, when Jacob Rasmussen sent a weak pass in the build-up. Thus the ball came to Gaetan Laborde, who cut out Dominik Oroz and finished off in a controlled manner: 1-0. Vitesse then came into the game a little better and created a good chance in the twentieth minute for Loïs Openda, who came across keeper Alfred Gomis from close by after a good pass from Matús Bero.

Fifteen minutes later, Oroz headed over from a free kick in a promising position. So were the chances for Vitesse, but Rennes struck in the 39th minute. This time Vitesse defender Sondre Tronstad lost the ball on the back line, after which Birger Meling sent a low pass to Laborde. The striker suddenly shot in from sixteen meters: 2-0. The decision could have been made immediately afterwards, but Vitesse miraculously kept the ball out of the goal. Jeroen Houwen saved twice on shots from Laborde, after which Maximilian Wittek took Majer’s rebound off the line. The spectacle continued, because on the other side Huisman took the ball from eighteen meters from the bounce, after which it plopped in low: 2-1.

Vitesse came out of the dressing room strong after the break and had two nice opportunities. Huisman shot after good work by Openda in the block at Rennes, while Buitink suddenly tried out of the air after a wonderful pass from Bazoer. His volley was caught by Gomis. Then Rennes was stronger and Martin Terrier headed just wide from a cross from the right. In the 69th minute it was still a hit for Laborde, who found the ball somewhat coincidentally after a free kick and shot through the inside of the post: 3-1. Vitesse came back into the game six minutes later thanks to Buitink, who accidentally found a cracked shot by Huisman at the feet and tapped in: 3-2. The Arnhem team kept pushing and equalized in injury time. Fortunately, Openda found the ball in front of his feet and made a devastating blow from fifteen meters: 3-3.