YOUTH After a first matchday without too many setbacks, Neerpede's youth teams faced their first real test against Genk's youth teams last Saturday. Over the summer, changes were made to the playing style, with more one-time football, but so far this seems to be struggling to take hold. This resulted in a disappointing record, with only one win from five matches.
The youngest teams suffered particularly under the pressure, resulting in a heavy defeat. The results were worrying: the U18s lost 4-1, the U16s 4-2, the U14s 2-1, and the U13s even suffered an embarrassing 9-1 defeat.
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Continue reading This raises questions about the recent changes within the academy and whether these adjustments are the cause of the poor performance. The U15 team was the only one to win 2-1.
It's too early to panic. Last season, Anderlecht also started poorly with four defeats in five matches, but eventually recovered and finished strongly. The hope is that the current generation will show the same resilience.
The U18 team, led by Joachim Lavia, started well with an early lead, but couldn't withstand Genk's pressure after defender Taty received a red card. Genk took full advantage of their numerical advantage. The U16 team had a similar story, where a draw would have been fairer given the balance of play. The U15 team, on the other hand, showed resilience and managed to secure the victory, despite several missed chances. The U14 team had a strong start but couldn't maintain it, and the U13 team struggled against a physically stronger Genk.
It's clear that Neerpede's youth teams still have a lot of work to do to adapt to the new playing style and improve their performance. The hope is that with patience and hard work, they'll get back on track.
