FC Twente took a big step towards the play-offs of the Conference League on Thursday in the first European match in eight years. The team of coach Ron Jans was too strong for FK Cukaricki in Serbia during the first game in the third preliminary round: 1-3.
Halfway through, it was already 0-3 at the match that was played in the largely empty stadium of FK Partizan. The goals were scored by Daan Rots, Michel Vlap and Joshua Brenet.
A big result seemed in the making, but after the break Twente sank and Cukaricki’s belief that something was still possible. It led to one goal, which was scored by Stefan Kovac.
If Twente gets the job done next Thursday in its own Grolsch Veste, a tough meeting with Fiorentina in the play-offs awaits. The winner of that diptych will reach the main tournament of the Conference League.
In the run-up to the return against Cukaricki, Twente first awaits the start of the Eredivisie season. The 2010 national champion will visit NEC on Sunday (kick-off at 2.30 pm).
Daan Rots scored FC Twente’s first European goal in eight years.
Daan Rots scored FC Twente’s first European goal in eight years. Photo: Pro Shots
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FC Twente started excellent in Belgrade on Thursday evening. Ricky van Wolfswinkel could have put the Enschede team at 0-1 after half a minute, but he saw keeper Novak Micovic save.
The opening goal came quickly: after a cross from Virgil Misidjan, it was Rots – not the biggest on the field after all – who found the far corner with an excellent header. He was the first Twente player to score a European goal since Luc Castaignos in 2014, 2,898 days ago.
Despite the lead, Twente had a restless phase, in which Cukaricki came through dangerously a few times. Gradually, Jans’ team took control again and that resulted in the 0-2 of Vlap, who coolly found the far corner. Again Misidjan was at the base.
Twente remained stronger and just before the break it was hit again, when the steamed right back Brenet remained calm after a combination with Van Wolfswinkel. With that, the game was over, but Cukaricki did not give up after the break.
The Serbs were even close to a goal via former PEC Zwolle and FC Emmen attacker Luka Adzic (who came in well) and Samuel Owusu, which later did fall via Kovac. Twente was spared further suffering.
The match was played in a mostly empty stadium.
The match was played in a mostly empty stadium. Photo: Pro Shots