Telstar held sc Heerenveen at bay on Thursday, securing a 0-0 draw at the Abe Lenstra Stadion. The result extended both teams' run to five consecutive Eredivisie matches without a victory.
The home side created the better chances. Dylan Vente headed wide in the first half, while a headed effort from Hristiyan Petrov was saved by Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman jr. Twelve minutes from time. The Frisian attack was stifled by the visitors' solid defensive work.
The team sits 13th in the Eredivisie with five points from six games. Recent form is a concern, with no win in the last five league matches. The sequence started with a 1-3 loss to Sparta Rotterdam, followed by a 0-4 thrashing by Ajax. Then came a 2-2 home draw with Cambuur, a 1-0 defeat at Twente, and now this point in Heerenveen. The full standings show Telstar trail leaders PSV Eindhoven by eleven points.
The defence, which has conceded eleven goals this season, held firm this time. Koeman jr. Was assured between the posts and his back line gave little away. At the other end, Telstar failed to create significant danger of their own.
A tough challenge awaits next weekend with a trip to face AZ Alkmaar, who currently sit second. A look at the fixtures confirms the match is set for Sunday 20 September. It will be a key test to break the negative trend.
Meanwhile, FC Utrecht did secure a relieving victory, winning 1-2 at Excelsior. Goals from Artem Stepanov and a late strike from Dani de Wit gave the Utrecht side, who had only two points from their first five matches, three points. Aymen Sliti scored for Excelsior. For Telstar, the search continues for that first win since the 1-2 victory at NEC Nijmegen on 8 August. The next opportunity comes in Alkmaar.
