FC Groningen further away from the Premier League after another disaster against ADO Den Haag

Because ADO Den Haag is one of the teams that are in the same boat as the FC: overflowing with desire for a return to the highest football level. Losing at home to that team does not produce a good report. Coach Dick Lukkien already feared the way that happened: ADO waited for that one chance, scored and walked away with the spoils: 0-1.

4-2-3-1

In contrast to the last matches, Lukkien moved away from the two-striker system with wingers and controllers, who played in a kind of 4-2-2-2 formation, with plenty of space in midfield, due to the lack of a real ‘ ten’.

Lukkien found his new playmaker in Luciano Valente, who was still stiff on the right outside in the practice match against SC Heerenveen. The tall attacking midfielder stood centrally behind Van Veen in the familiar 4-2-3-1 system, with the clear task of creating danger as a false striker.

Good start

Basic debutant Noam Emeran was on the right flank, Paulos Abraham, as expected, on the left. It was a familiar sight to see, and that team started well. Valente in particular made himself felt as a pointer, but Marco Rente also sent a few nice balls towards the green and white vanguard. Valente saw his shot blocked from the second line and Van Veen briefly thrilled the crowd with a good move, slaloming through the Hague defense.

The sequel left much to be desired. Leandro Bacuna dived deep and received a great pass, but could not control it. The best chance for the FC in the first fifteen minutes was for Abraham, who, after a good pass from Isak Määttä, had a chance a few meters from goalkeeper Hugo Wentges, but shot against a Hague leg.

First chance

Only when the clock had almost passed 16 minutes did ADO get close to goalkeeper Michael Verrips for the first time, but it was also an immediate hit. Henk Veerman, who came over from FC Volendam last summer, needed little space. He responded well to a through ball from Jort van der Sande, Marvin Peersman intervened too late and Veerman passed Verrips with his right foot: 0-1.

Less than two minutes later it could have been 0-2, when Van der Sande, who recently left the Breda club due to trouble with NAC coach Peter Hyballa, shot just over.

Abraham out

Lukkien responded at half-time by replacing the disappointing Abraham for Delaho Irandust, who took over the ’10’ from Valente. Valente returned to play on the right flank, while Emeran took Abraham’s position on the left.

With the attacking focus now directed towards the fanatical North Stand, FC Groningen quickly created two big chances in that new line-up, and that was more than we saw in the first half. Twice Irandust came close to the equalizer, both times Wentges knocked the well-shot balls just out of the corner of his goal.

Yes, the defense in The Hague, led by an old acquaintance, Bart van Hintum, was in good shape. If the last line, sometimes even consisting of six men, did not neutralize the Groningen attack, the young Wentges did. FC Groningen had too little venom to really test the defense of The Hague.

Van Veen on the bar

After the good initial phase in the second half, the FC’s attacking play visibly faded, although Van Veen almost scored the equalizer in injury time. The ball bounced off the crossbar. Typical for FC Groningen in this match: battle, dominance, no goals. And that’s what it’s all about.