Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Spakenburg and Sparta Rotterdam II drew 1-1 in a pre-season friendly on 18 July 2026, with Kenji Sallent cancelling Sam van Huffel's first-half free-kick.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Jong Sparta started the brighter side on the Bunschoten pitch, but it was Spakenburg who struck first. In the 13th minute, Sam van Huffel curled a free-kick past the Sparta goalkeeper from a central position, giving the hosts a lead they would hold until the interval.
Sparta Rotterdam II coach Nourdin Boukhari changed his entire outfield line-up at half-time, a common pre-season tactic to give minutes to the full squad. Jorn Triep — back after a loan spell at VVV-Venlo last season — made his first minutes of the summer, while trialist Shedrach Ebite (ex-Jong FC Utrecht) started the first half.
The turning point
Sparta's second-half XI found the equaliser in the 64th minute. Marlon Silva Neves drove down the right flank and picked out Kenji Sallent, who cut inside from the left and fired home from just outside the box. The strike was Sallent's first of the pre-season and secured a share of the spoils.
Neither side created clear chances in the final half-hour. The match fizzled out with both teams seemingly content with the workout.
Key performers
Kenji Sallent (Sparta Rotterdam II) — introduced at half-time, took his goal well with a composed finish from distance. A strong case for the standout performer.
Sam van Huffel (Spakenburg) — opened the scoring with a well-executed set-piece, his second of the pre-season period.
Shedrach Ebite (Sparta Rotterdam II) — the trialist centre-forward got 45 minutes in his first appearance for the club, a useful audition for a potential permanent move.
By the numbers
The betmana page shows a 1-1 scoreline with a 1-0 half-time lead for Spakenburg, reflecting a game of two halves. Sparta's personnel overhaul at the break made direct statistical comparison difficult, but the fact that the visitors created exactly one moment of quality — Sallent's goal — and took it tells the story of a match low on chances after the 64th minute. Both teams registered 15 previous meetings in all competitions (Spakenburg leading 6-5 in wins with 4 draws), but this was their first friendly of the 2026 pre-season.
What it means
For Spakenburg, the result continues a mixed pre-season that has seen them score freely (16 goals in their last five fixtures across all competitions, per bookmaker-ratings.ru) but also concede heavily. For Sparta Rotterdam II, the draw extends their unbeaten friendly run after a 1-1 draw with Katwijk on 11 July. The Kasteelheren face Jong RKC at Robey Academy on Tuesday 21 July at 14:00 local time.
Verdict
A functional pre-season workout that served its purpose: minutes in legs, a look at trialists, and no injuries. The two-XI rotation from Sparta meant the game lacked rhythm, but Sallent's finish was a moment of genuine quality in an otherwise low-key affair.
Rivalry since 2018
Spakenburg vs Sparta Rotterdam II Head to Head Results· 15
Spakenburg and Sparta Rotterdam II have met 15 times — Spakenburg won 6, Sparta Rotterdam II won 5, with 4 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. Spakenburg leads the head-to-head with 6 victories from 15 meetings. A combined 55 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 3.67 per match (32 for the home side, 23 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 9 matches (60%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 11 games (73%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. Spakenburg are currently unbeaten in the last 6 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 4–4 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 21 Jul 2026