Beerschot AC 0 v 0 ADO ladies

On Saturday afternoon the ADO ladies team travelled across the border for their final away game of the BeNe league competition, this time to play Beerschot AC. This game held no importance league wise, so it was playing for a place in the starting eleven for the cup final that kept the players motivated. The game was one they were expected to win with ease as the Belgian club had only earned one point this season in the joint Holland/Belgium league fixtures.

At the start of the game is was sad to see three of ADO’s usual starting eleven sitting in the stand wearing their tracksuits. Marelle Worm, Sylvia Nooij and Paola van der Veen all missing through injury.

The game was terrible. ADO tried to spark life into the play through the wing play of Beerensteyn and Jansen. The Beerschot defenders just could not live with their pace and skill, yet all the good wing play was met with some lousy finishing. The wasteful finishing of ADO of late has become an issue, despite the cup win last week and three goals, in other games including this one, self confidence in front of goal looks to be lacking; why? No idea, they could score for fun a while back, but now they struggle.

The second half was even worse than the first. Lorsheyd in the ADO goal must have been bored to death as the hosts seemed reluctant to force any movement in an attacking direction. ADO made several changes and tried a few different tactical line-ups, in all honesty the game just died.

The game ended goalless which meant Beerschot had claimed their second point from the joint BeNe league A group and you could see how happy they were with that at the end as they celebrated that point with their supporters.

Woman of the match: Renate Jansen, her mazy runs drove the home side defence dizzy.

Attendance: 100

On Tuesday night ADO ladies took on PEC Zwolle in the semi-finals of the KNVB Beker (Dutch Cup.) The fact that Zwolle were in the second tier of BeNe league football made ADO ladies the favourites to go through, however the game was a real nail biting affair with periods of boredom followed by periods of pure excitement, not one for the faint hearted.

 ADO had the best chances of the opening phase: Firstly Jansen making headway down the right wing, crossing the ball to an unmarked Beerensteyn who could only head the ball over the bar of an empty net. Beerensteyn did not let her head drop and found herself with other clear chances to open the scoring, but it was not to be. She is having a run of games when the ball will just not go into the net for her.

The game was sloppy, both sides misplacing passes and spending time just passing the ball around the defence, you would have found it hard to believe you were watching a cup semi-final.

The visitors took the lead in the twenty second minute a lapse of concentration allowed Sylvia Smit to put Zwolle into a shock lead, 0-1. From that moment Zwolle took the initiative and had a few chances to go further in front: Lorsheyd pulling off one great diving save and another chance hitting the ADO upright.

Thirty eight minutes played and ADO got back on level terms. A great run and cross by Sylvia Nooij was met perfectly by the incoming Kitty Susan who stroked the ball simply into the back of the net, 1-1.

As the clock moved into injury time Zwolle got themselves back in front. A deflected shot from Smit smashed against the underside of the crossbar before hitting the goal line and bouncing back up into the roof of the net, 1-2.

The second half was a dull, lifeless affair, the stadium was silent and it was a game that sent you to sleep. It took just over twenty five minutes of the half to see any kind of goal opportunity occur.

There was some bad news for ADO in the sixty third minute, after a challenge Marelle Worm ws left in agony on the grass. The ADO players immediately signaled for the trainer to come so it was obvious from the start that it was serious. She left the pitch and was replaced by Yvette van der Veen. After the match I heard that Marelle had suffered a bad injury to her knee, something she has had troubles with in the past. Now ADO just have to hope it is not as serious as they fear.

With time running out and the game drying up ADO sprang to life. In the eighty second minute Sheila van den Bulk fired home from long range, 2-2. Just four minutes later Jansen managed to twist and turn and fire what proved to be the winning goal into the back of the net, 3-2.

After the third goal went in, Jansen led a charge towards the dugout to go and celebrate with Marelle Worm, just showing what a great team spirit the ladies have between them.

With four minutes of added time Zwolle pushed forward and threatened to take the game into a penalty shoot out; again though it was Lorsheyd who came to the rescue pulling off a fine finger tip save to deny Zwolle a route back into the game.

At the final whistle the ADO ladies were jubilant and I contrast the ladies of PEC Zwolle were devastated. Their keeper Jessica Jurg was distraught and had to be consoled in the back of her goal by one of her own coached and ADO’s head coach Sarina Wiegman.

ADO will now face FC Twente in the final on Friday 31^st May in The Hague, the venue is yet to be decided.

Woman of the match: Barbara Lorsheyd, yet again this keeper showed her value as a top stopper.

Attendance: 152

On Friday night ADO ladies took on league leaders and championship favourites Standard Liege in the Kyocera stadium. The home side looking to avenge a 3-0 defeat in Belgium earlier this year. The visitors were a solid team, made up of more experienced players including several internationals. The game would be a tough test for the ladies of ADO Den Haag.

The 3-0 defeat was not avenged, but repeated. ADO ladies managed to keep on par with the visitors as the game flowed end to end: ADO making chances but none good enough to really threaten the goal of Liege. The Belgians tried more of a long ball approach to this game which saw Sylvia Nooij take control, cleaning up and playing the ball neatly forwards to the home aside midfield. This was playing easily into ADO’s passing style of play.

Standard Liege took the lead in the twenty second minute when Aline Zeler poached a goal from a corner kick. ADO kept in the game with some good passing football and the main threat came from teenage sensation Lineth Beerensteyn who tormented the Liege backline time and time again. The first half finished with ADO trailing 0-1.

A game of two halves if often said in football, in this case that sentiment was true. Liege came out a totally different team; they changed tactics and began to run ADO ragged. Their passing and inter play was great to watch, if you were a neutral or Liege fan that is.

Liege got two goals in quick succession. Zeler claiming her second in the fifty third minute and followed in the fifty eighth minute by a goal from Davina Philtjens.

At 0-3  the game was already over, yet Beerensteyn was still creating havoc amongst the Liege defenders. The only way they could stop here was by kicking her and in one short period she was flattened three times by heavy challenges. The manager eventually taking her off to be sure she would be set for Tuesday cup semi-final game.

The game ended 0-3. The result and that of other meant that ADO could no longer retain their championship title, which has now been won by FC Twente. ADO ladies have nothing to be ashamed of, they have been brilliant all season, and they are a very young side and are still growing physically. If Sarina can keep these youngsters together, in two years time no doubt ADO will be doing to others what Standard Liege did to them. There is most definitely a bright future ahead for the ADO ladies team.

Woman of the match: Lineth Beerensteyn, Just an amazing powerful display of raw aggression and talent.

Attendance:600