Vitesse can still hope for a winter in the Conference League due to a nice draw against Stade Rennes on Thursday. Thomas Letsch’s team fought a visit to the French club after a 3-1 deficit to a point (3-3), while Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-1 against NS Mura. “It was another great evening”, Letsch said afterwards at ESPN. “On the one hand, we can be proud of what we have achieved, because we were the better team again.”
“But if you make mistakes like this and give away goals like this, you have no chance of winning at this level,” Letsch acknowledged. “But we are still in with the result of Tottenham against Mura, we have it in our own hands again. The character of the team is great. It was like that in every European game. Against Anderlecht, against Tottenham, now. And in the competition we have often shown it. The spirit in the team is great.”
In two weeks, a thrilling denouement awaits the final day of the group stage. Tottenham then plays at home against Rennes, which is already through to the next round, and Vitesse takes on Mura in GelreDome. Both Vitesse and Tottenham now have seven points. The mutual result is also in balance, so the goal difference can be the deciding factor. That is now in Tottenham’s favor (+3 at +1).
Eli Dasa was also a substitute at his own request. The right-back arrived late for the team meeting, just like Lois Openda did earlier this season in the run-up to the away game against Tottenham. It was ‘a misunderstanding’, Dasa assured. “It’s not something to be proud of, but it can happen. The trainer has already explained it, it was a misunderstanding about the start time of the meeting. I have to take that responsibility. Like I said, it shouldn’t happen, but it happened and I got my punishment for it.”
Romaric Yapi started Thursday as right back, partly at the request of Dasa. He finally came within the lines a few minutes after the break. “I immediately told the coach that I was sorry and that I had to stand next to it. Because that also happened with Openda in London. I myself told him to get me out, indeed. I’m a team player and I don’t want to make any crooked faces because this would happen to one player and not the other.”
A hat trick by Gaëtan Laborde seemed to kill Vitesse. The striker took care of the 1-0 and the 2-0, but two minutes before half-time Daan Huisman did something back: 2-1). In the 69th minute Laborde made his third, after which Vitesse came back well. Thomas Buitink signed for the 3-2 fifteen minutes before time and in the ninetieth minute Loïs Openda Vitesse shot to a draw. If Vitesse finishes second, an intermediate round awaits after the winter break. It could be the first time that the Arnhem club overwinters in Europe.