NOS Football•
Vitesse has lost the first game since recovering the professional license from Young AZ. In Wijdewormer, the team of coach Rüdiger Rehm was without a chance against the promise team: 4-0.
The Arnhem club was told last Wednesday that it was allowed to return to the first division, the result of a ruling by the Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal. The KNVB had withdrawn the professional license for mismanagement and financial problems.
What followed was a race against the clock. For a long time it was unclear whether Vitesse could find enough players for meeting with Young AZ. Losing the license this summer had caused a true Exodus, so sometimes there was only a handful of players on the training.
Trainer Rehm had a day job to assess players, but during the week one after the other was announced. Yesterday Vitesse presented three that last-minute had signed a contract, a few even while the training was still busy.
150 supporters traveled
It was therefore the question of how Vitesse would appear in Wijdewormer, in the knowledge that a large part of the selection barely knew each other. The visitors were able to draw on the support of approximately 150 supporters, who clearly made themselves heard when the team came onto the field.
The supporters thought they could also be able to do after six minutes, when Dillon Hoogewerf came face to face with goalkeeper Kiyani. The 22-year-old wing attacker, one of the players who returned after he had his contract dissolved, saw his effort being turned.
The promising start was not a harbinger for a football fairy tale. Vitesse’s game was logically incoherent. The team could not make a fist against the Alkmaar promises, who had lost the first four duels of the season.
No grip
In the 21st minute it yielded the opening goal from Young AZ striker Lequincio Zeefuik, which shot a nice stitch pass in the corner. Even in the remainder of the first half, Vitesse did not get a grip on the game.
That game image did not change after the break and the game was played when Kevin Toppenberg took care of the second goal on behalf of Young AZ. The midfielder popped the ball beautifully in the top corner after a chain movement. Via Kiani Inge and Yoël van den Ban it also became 4-0.
Because of the defeat, Vitesse remains on a point number of -12. On Tuesday, Vitesse will play the second game of the season, a match against RKC Waalwijk.
View here the reactions of captain Alexander Büttner and interim director Ben Mansvelder after the game:
