Sparta-NEC abandoned due to snowfall after six minutes; Ajax and Feyenoord victorious
Sparta Rotterdam’s game against NEC Nijmegen in Rotterdam was brought to a very early end on Sunday. The game was abandoned after just six minutes of play due to a high amount of snow on the pitch. The game was halted due to low visibility of the lines on the pitch and the fact that the ball was struggling to roll over the grass. The rest of the game is scheduled to be played on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
After the game, Sparta manager Maurice Steijn told reporters that Sparta had spoken to the Dutch Football Association, the KNVB, to ask them to move the kick-off time from 4:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. after seeing the weather report. The KNVB did not go along with this request.
NEC will go into the game knowing that they need to win to make sure they do not fall behind in the battle for 2nd. Dick Shredder’s side lost against FC Utrecht in midweek, and Ajax and Feyenoord won their games this weekend.
Ajax made short work of Fortuna Sittard on Saturday. A double from Mika Godts, followed by goals from Rayane Bounida and Jorthy Mokio. Fortuna scored once via an own goal from Ajax defender Josip Sutalo.
Feyenoord needed an injury-time penalty to defeat struggling Go Ahead Eagles at home. Go Ahead forward Thibo Baeten was sent off after 13 minutes for an incredibly dangerous tackle on Feyenoord midfielder Oussame Targhelline.
Despite the numerical advantage, it took until the 92nd minute for Feyenoord to break the deadlock through a penalty scored by Casper Tengstedt.
Feyenoord are currently second with 45 points, Ajax follow with 42 points, and NEC have one point fewer than Ajax, with the game against Sparta to be played on Tuesday.
Utrecht, who beat NEC in midweek, got their second win in a row away to FC Groningen, who are now in a troubling run of form. A 92nd-minute winning goal from Jesper Karlsson gifted Ron Jans side the win. It was Groningen’s fourth league defeat in a row.
Two sides in the bottom three picked up points this weekend. Telstar were unable to hold on to a 1-0 lead at home against FC Twente, while NAC Breda plunged bottom of the table Heracles into deeper trouble with a 1-0 win in Almelo. This came as a result of an 80th-minute penalty from Clint Leemans.
