SC Telstar vs Sparta Rotterdam

Telstar came up just short of top spot in the Eredivisie, falling 1-3 at home to Sparta Rotterdam in a game that swung wildly in the closing minutes. A dramatic finish, with seven added minutes at the BUKO Stadion, turned a comfortable away win into a nervy finale for the visitors. Marvin Young put Sparta ahead early, poking home in the 6th minute after a deflection fell kindly. Nökkvi Thórisson, facing his former club, doubled the lead just after the hour with a low-key finish. Telstar substitute Abdelnor Soualhia gave the home crowd hope with a composed injury-time header, but Robin van Cruijsen restored Sparta's two-goal cushion moments later, slotting into an empty net after Telstar's keeper had gone forward for a corner. A wild collision involving keeper Filip Bednarek and substitute Prince Aning went unpunished despite home protests. The defeat denies Telstar what would have been their first-ever outright lead in the league, while Sparta banks a much-needed first win after their opening-day loss to Feyenoord.