Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 9:52 PM• Mart van Mourik

Go Ahead Eagles booked a comfortable victory in the Eredivisie on Saturday evening. At home, the club from Deventer was too strong for Sparta Rotterdam, which was defeated 2-0 and ended the game with ten men. The Greek Giannis-Fivos Botos made his debut on behalf of the home team and graced his entrance with a goal. It was the first win for Go Ahead, while Sparta is still waiting for the first win of the season.

Trainer Kees van Wonderen changed his team in one position compared to the lost duel with Feyenoord (2-0). Right back Mats Deijl struggled with minor ankle problems and was sidelined, as a result of which Boyd Lucassen moved back a line and Botos made his debut centrally in midfield. Adil Auassar dropped out of Sparta due to injuries. Bryan Smeets played more withdrawn and Lennart Thy played as ‘number 10’, leaving room for Emanuel Emegha in the striker position.

The home team energetically started the encounter with the Rotterdam-squad, who fell behind after only six minutes. Michael Heylen floored Isac Lidberg within the box, after which referee Jannick van der Laan pointed resolutely to the spot. Justin Bakker took his responsibility and gave his team the lead from eleven meters: 1-0. Halfway through the first half, Lidberg had a good opportunity to double the score, but he was a toe-length short to convert Luuk Brouwers’ cross.

In the last twelve minutes of the first half, Sparta contributed twice. First Vito van Crooij encountered goalkeeper Warner Hahn, and then Emegha lacked sharpness in the completion. In the second act, the Spartans’ hopes for a good end result faded. Six minutes after the break, Brouwers went to the ground after a hard violation by Michael Gonçalves Pinto, who was sent off with a red card by Van der Laan after viewing the video images. Go Ahead gratefully took advantage of the surplus situation and walked further away after an hour of play. It was Botos who determined the final score on a pass from Luckassen: 2-0.