ADO Den Haag won their first game since sacking coach Robin Peter, beating Sparta Rotterdam 3-1 under interim boss Levi Schwiebbe. The victory was only the second of the season for the 17th-placed Eredivisie side, and it leaves them just three points behind Sparta in 12th.
Kilo breaks the deadlock
ADO took the lead in the 22nd minute, their first real effort on goal. A corner was delivered to the far post, Jalen Hawkins knocked the ball back across goal, and Juho Kilo headed home.
Sparta quickly threatened an equaliser. Milan Zonneveld, the club’s top scorer, who had found the net nine times in his previous ten official matches, hit the woodwork from close range on the rebound after a shot by Shunsuke Mito. Sparta were the clearly better side in the first half, but ADO goalkeeper Kilian Nikiema was in fine form and kept his goal intact.
Brouwer’s error and a late flurry
Sparta levelled shortly after the restart. Isaac Babadi’s cross found Zonneveld, whose header was kept alive towards the far post, where Bas Kuipers finished from close range.
ADO regained the lead soon after, helped by a mistake from Sparta keeper Michael Brouwer. Nigel Thomas dispossessed him and scored. It was not Brouwer’s night: he injured his ankle shortly afterwards and was replaced by Filip Bednarek.
ADO wrapped up the win with a third goal in which Bednarek had no involvement. Cameron Peupion sent a sharp cross in from the left, and Daryl van Mieghem applied the finish.
Van Mieghem makes history
At 36 years and 337 days, Van Mieghem became the third-oldest goalscorer in ADO’s Eredivisie history, behind Heini Otto (1992) and Peter Hofstede (2004).
What next for ADO?
The win sparked celebrations in The Hague. Who takes over permanently from Robin Peter remains open, though several media outlets report that Maurice Steijn is the front-runner. Whoever is appointed will inherit a squad with a victory to build on.
Source: nos.nl
