RKC Waalwijk passed up an opportunity to make ground on their relegation rivals as they fell to a disappointing 0-1 home defeat to Sparta Rotterdam.
- by Michael Statham
- Follow Michael on Twitter @EredivisieMike
Sparta had seemed to lose some of their zest in attack due to recent striker departures and injuries. It was up to forward Patrick Joosten to lead the Rotterdam front-line once more in Waalwijk. Joosten, who is normally deployed as an inverted winger, was presented with good opportunities in the opening quarter of an hour, including a sumptuous cross from Mohamed Rayhi which Joosten could only divert well wide of the target.
However, not long before half-time, Joosten received a stroke of luck, as his shot was deflected in for the only goal of the game.
The second half didn’t see much of a response from RKC; Sparta held them at arm’s length for long periods. When the hosts did work themselves into good positions around the box, the final pass was severely lacking.
With victory, Sparta now sit just inside the top half in ninth. RKC remain rooted to the bottom and relegation seems now only a matter of time.
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Writer/interviewer/YouTuber for Football-Oranje. Massive Dutch football fan from the UK. Follow me @EredivisieMike & subscribe to Football-Oranje on YouTube.
