Lille & Feyenoord put Club NXT U23 to the test as the team prepares for the new season
Club NXT U23 - Lille OSC U23
Club NXT U23 entertained their French colleagues from Lille OSC on Friday at The NEST. The visitors had a field day in Belgium, making it 1-6 on the night in a game allowing our youngsters to gather some match rhythm, work on automatism and offering playing time against a sturdy opponent.
The game started with some fiesty Lille pressure, but it was Club NXT with the first threat as Tytens found Lund Jensen with a clever pass, but the latter's effort went wide. Not long after a first French goal followed as a free kick was headed in. Not taken aback, Club NXT U23 kept looking for an opening as Furo and Granados both assailed the French goal, but without luck. A swift attack through the centre helped Lille to a second goal, and it took a focused goalie De Corte to keep Club afloat. Upon the half hour mark, Club pulled one closer as Gomez van Hogen's clever found Furo to make it 1-2. The gap was back to two, however, as Lille managed to score the 1-3 still in the first half.
Club NXT U23's second half started under an unlucky star, Lille managing to walk away to a 1-6. The hosts remained fervent, however, restoring the balance and creating a number of chances, but a second goal did not follow.
No win for the hosts in the end against Lille, but some intense play and working points were definitely taken from this game.
Club NXT U23 - Feyenoord U21
The last friendly of the season ended in a 1-1 draw against Feyenoord Rotterdam. A spot kick by Musuayi put Club in the lead, but Feyenoord drew level in the second half through Tobias van den Elshout.
The Jan Breydel grounds were the venue for the encounter between Club NXT U23 and the Feyenoord U21 team, eager to show their talent as Van Acker was forced to block a shot by Delianidis and the visitors starting to up the pressure as the game went by. Goalie Argus Vanden Driessche and Jano Willems were called upon to thwart any Dutch attacking effort, and a Delianidis shot was neatly tapped away by Club's No1. A bit later, Vandeperre saved the day, cleverly backheeling another Dutch effort away from the goal line. Still, it was Club taking the lead: Musayi was awarded a penalty kick having been fouled inside the box, and the ensuing penalty kick resulted in the opener through that same Musayi.
With Elbay and Strouwen on for Marloye and Willems, the first real chances were created by the hosts, as both Amengai and Da Silva found the visiting goalie on their way to goal. On the other side of the pitch, Van den Elshout neatly finished a well worked out counter attack to make it 1-1. Club reacted through a corner kick, but Musuayi was unable to get a good touch to the excellent cross. Just as in the first half, Club's goalie Vanden Driessche was forced to take a lead role again, clutching fine efforts and pawing away shots by a growing Feyenoord side. With both sides going for the win, Club had its fair share of chances through Bouazzaoui, Van Britsom, Amengai and Strouwen, but no more goals followed, keeping the score at 1-1.
With the home game against Francs Borain, Club NXT U23 kicks off the new season on Sunday 10 August. Tickets are available through this link. Tickets are only 5€ a pop for youngsters below 18 years of age. Are you a Club Member? Join us for free by claiming your ticket through the Club app. Ticket prices for all other fans are 10€.