The grapes are sour for Sparta after the home match against FC Twente on Saturday evening. 0-0 seemed the only logical final result, but in the final phase it still went wrong: the VAR awarded a penalty to the guests, who still won 0-1 and condemned Sparta to an extended stay below the relegation line.
Right back Giannis Masouras came in too late to stop Michel Vlap’s shot, but hit his opponent when he had already shot, with all the consequences that entailed. “It is of course the most annoying scenario,” said trainer Henk Fraser in conversation with RTV Rijnmond. The assistant national coach of the Dutch national team does not blame Masouras. “The shot had already passed, he slides to block the ball, not even towards the player. Do I have to say to my player: shouldn’t you do that anymore? That is impossible.”
Controller Dirk Abels is also very disappointed with the late defeat. “Very sour, very hard. I think it was a very boring c*t match for the people at home and the people who were here in the stadium, if I may say so,” said 24-year-old Brabant, who also has reservations about the penalty given. “Masouras has to block that ball. I think I would have done the same if I had been right back. Vlap shoots and what happens next I don’t know exactly. Maybe he hits it, maybe he takes it, but if he wants to block that ball , he must really stick out his leg…”
Sparta remains sixteenth, with ten points from thirteen games. Pursuer Fortuna Sittard is one point behind and kicked off against Heracles Almelo at 9 p.m.
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