Vitesse claim victory with second-half strike - report and reaction

We suffered our first loss in Group G of the UEFA Europa Conference League with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Vitesse at the GelreDome on Thursday evening.

Sixth in the Dutch Eredivisie, the home side took the three points thanks to Maximilian Wittek’s second-half strike to drop us down to third in the table, with Rennes topping the group after their 2-1 win away to NS Mura.

We had the lion’s share of the ball during the first period without having a shot on target, with the hosts going closest when Jacob Rasmussen’s near-post flicked header just missed the target in the 23rd minute.

Two minutes after the break we almost went ahead but Bryan Gil’s 25-yard effort crashed off the crossbar, before Eli Dasa hit two long rangers for Vitesse, one wide and the other saved low down by Pierluigi Gollini.

Nuno Espirito Santo handed a senior debut to young attacker Dilan Markanday with 15 minutes left and he looked lively but the only goal of the game came three minutes later, Dasa picking out Wittek on the edge of the area and he hit a crisp left-footed volley which took a slight touch of Davinson Sanchez and beat Gollini.

Tough night in the Netherlands

Nuno made 11 changes from the side that beat Newcastle United at the weekend with the entire starting XI left back in England for this fixture, but we never really hit top form on the night.

Roared on by a lively partisan crowd, the home side had the better of the early chances, Gollini saving from Nikolai Baden Fredericksen after just three minutes, while Vitesse had penalty appeals waved away after Bryan’s tackle on Wittek inside the area eight minutes later. Lois Openda fired straight at Gollini and Rasmussen was very close to scoring but his flicked header from Wittek’s corner just evaded the far post.

Our brightest moments of the first half came in the final minute when Dutch international Steven Bergwijn – back on home soil – had a shot blocked and, after we recycled the ball down the other flank, Japhet Tanganga’s dangerous low cross was cleared by Riechedly Bazoer with Dane Scarlett waiting to pounce.

Ultimately, we only had one shot on target and that came moments after Bryan struck the crossbar. He was unlucky with his effort, beating Markus Schubert in goal but not the woodwork and as the ball fell to Harry Winks, he hit a shot straight at the goalkeeper.

Just after the hour mark, Dasa found some space in midfield for Vitesse and hit a 30-yard drive that flew just past Gollini’s left-hand post before five minutes later, trying his luck again from even further out but this one was straight at the keeper.

The winner came in the 78th minute with Dasa the creator. He received the ball out on the right and clipped a pass to the edge of the area which Wittek hit left-footed past Gollini. We looked for a response in the closing stages but couldn’t work that one opportunity to grab the equaliser and ended up suffering our first defeat in the Netherlands this century, in our sixth game in the country.

Reaction on Spurs TV

'A lack of focus in some moments'

“It was a tough game against a good team,” said Nuno. “I thought we competed well, but (there was) a lack of focus in some moments, especially in attack. I thought we could have done more in the way we finish actions, but we were committed, and it was a good chance for our players to have minutes, to grow, because we’re going to need it and the Conference League is a good chance for players who deserve to be a part of it to keep improving.”

Highlights on Spurs TV

Match data

Goal: Vitesse – Wittek 78.

Yellow cards: Vitesse – Bero, Wittek, Buitink; Spurs – Bergwijn, Sanchez, Scarlett, Winks.

Referee: Harm Osmers (Germany).

Venue: GelreDome, Arnhem.

Weather: Partly cloudy, gentle breeze, eight degrees.

Attendance: 23,931.