ADO again let points slip

ADO went into this game in good form having gone unbeaten in their last nine league games. What’s more is that the home side had found themselves in a 3 horse race for automatic promotion, ADO were just 3 points behind both the teams above them in 1st and 2nd place. Their opponents, meanwhile, were also promotion challengers in 7th place VVV Venlo who had started to find some form after heavy defeats to Helmand Sport and Jong Ajax. Both sides would be looking to take at least something from the game, but only a win would do for ADO if they were to have a chance of securing an automatic promotion spot.

Both sides looked keen to take on their opponents on this tension packed occasion and it was clear from the get go that the game would be an open one. However, it was ADO who suffered the first setback with key defender Justin Che injured with just 3 minutes played. ADO were struggling in possession early on, allowing Venlo to create some key chances. The breakthrough came after Martijn Berden turned his man, glided past Matteo Waem and opened his body up to calmly slot the ball into the bottom left corner. Putting the away side 1-0 up after just 16 minutes. Venlo kept the pressure up throughout the first half and ADO struggled to find a response. Another key chance fell to Venlo on 36 minutes after VVV right back Lathouwers waltzed pass  Den Haag winger Hamdoui, only a good stop from Nikiema denied Lathouwers his first goal of the season. The final chance of the first half fell to ADO after a short spell of possession from the home side. Dhoraso Klas found himself in space on the edge of the box and hit a powerful shot toward the bottom left corner but was denied by a good save from Jan De Boer. Going into the half time break it was clear there would need to be some kind of response from the home side if they wanted to win this game.

It was clear from the get go in the second half that Venlo had set up much more defensively, allowing more chances to be created by the home side who had clearly adopted a more attacking approach in response to their opponents’ change in tactics. The major chance in the second half came from a  ADO corner,  which  found the head of Tyrese Asante.  However,  the right back couldn’t generate enough power to beat the keeper. Another chance came to the home side on 62 minutes after a ball was played into the box to ADO number nine Henk Veerman who used his strength to spin his  man and slip the ball under the goalkeeper to level the score. Den Haag gained confidence from the spell in control of the game, and just 10 minutes after the equalizing the home side put themselves in front after a good finish from inside the box by Joel Ideho. After going in front the home side sat very deep and invited waves of attacks from Venlo and unsurprisingly on 88 minutes their attacking midfielder Levi smans headed the away side level after a good ball in from Souleyman Allouch. Unfortunately for ADO their efforts to go in front once again were in vain and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.

ADO fans should be contended with this result against a strong promotion contender in VVV Venlo. Although, the way in which the home side dropped points  with such a late conceded goal  will undoubtedly leave  the Den Haag fans   with disappointing feeling.

After this result ADO now find themselves in 3rd place, 3 points behind both Roda JC and Willem II. ADO will face Noordwijk away in the KNVB cup in their next game on the 31st of October, a game that ADO should expect to win.

Seth Baker