Twente Match’s Turning Point Identified
Fenerbahce drew 1-1 away against the Netherlands’ Twente team in the second week of the UEFA Europa League, reaching 4 points. After falling behind 1-0 with Michel Vlap’s goal in the 28th minute, the yellow-navy team managed to leave the field with a draw thanks to Dusan Tadic scoring from Sofian Amrabat’s clever pass in the 71st minute. Dutch football journalist Tim Duijverman shared special insights about the closely contested match with Spor Arena.
After winning 2-1 against Union Saint Gilloise in the first week of the UEFA Europa League, Fenerbahce faced Twente away. The yellow-navy team delivered a more subdued performance compared to their opponent but managed to come away with a point from the challenging away match.
Sofian Amrabat and Dusan Tadic, well-known names in Dutch football, managed to keep their team’s hopes alive with a beautiful goal organization. Our Dutch colleague Tim Duijverman provided analysis on the match between the two teams.
TIM DUIJVERMAN (SOCCERNEWS.NL): “FENERBAHCE COULDN’T FIND TIME TO BREATHE”
Twente performed very well. They were involved in the game from the very first second; they worked hard and applied pressure. They created danger from the wings. Fenerbahce faced tough moments against the Dutch team. A 1-0 score was indeed deserved, and it could have been more. Fenerbahce only managed to create danger from the left side twice in the first half. They couldn’t find time to breathe as Twente constantly chased them. A brilliant pass was deadly for Twente. However, they continued to fight to recover from the shock and seek a win.
“WORLD CLASS MOVE FROM SOFIAN AMRABAT!”
The equalizing goal assisted by Sofian Amrabat was the most significant moment of the match. It was a ‘world-class’ move from the former Feyenoord player. Tadic anticipated this pass and calmly chipped the ball over goalkeeper Unnerstal into the net. FC Twente deserved more than that. They opened up for victory and tried to create chances throughout the match while not giving Fenerbahce any space. Twente was unlucky with the only chance Fenerbahce had that resulted in a 1-1 draw. This often happens to inexperienced Dutch teams in Europe. They have become a better team but were disappointed in crucial moments of the match. Nonetheless, Twente deserved a small victory.
“TWENTE’S GREATER AMBITION MADE THINGS HARDER FOR THE TURKISH TEAM”
Fenerbahce fought hard but wasn’t fully in the game. Twente’s greater ambition and desire made things difficult for the Turkish team. Nevertheless, Fenerbahce managed to maintain balance and kept their composure until they had a goal opportunity. The presence of experienced and quality players also made this possible. The atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic, but Fenerbahce is always accustomed to such environments. The victory at home against USG and the away draw against FC Twente marked a good start for Jose Mourinho and his team.
