Jens Berthel Askou took to the Motherwell dugout for the first time as Motherwell boss on Tuesday evening, as the Steelmen played their first friendly of the 25/26 season against Dutch Eredivisie side FC Twente.
The new Motherwell manager named Paul McGinn in the starting 11, as the defender looks to put last season’s injury concerns firmly behind him. New signings Elliot Watt and Lukas Fadinger both started, with third signing Jordan McGhee listed amongst the substitutes.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos led the line, with Callum Slattery in behind, as the number eight looked to continue his strong end to the 24/25 season. Academy graduates Luca Ross, Olly Whyte, Campbell Forrest, Jon-Joe Friel and Scott Williamson were all included on the bench.
These two sides met this time last season, with Moses Ebiye’s wonder goal from the halfway line and a Lennon Miller free kick securing a 2-2 draw with the Dutch side.
Twente finished sixth in their domestic league last season, with attacking midfielder Sem Steijn finishing with the golden boot on 27 goals. Steijn joined fellow Dutch side Feyenoord during the summer, but former Norwich and Sporting Lisbon man Ricky Van Wolfswinkel led the line for the Dutch side.
The opening stages of the match passed with very little to comment on. Tawanda Maswanhise intercepted a stray pass from the Twente defence before driving forward. His cross was comfortably gathered by the keeper.
Twente number seven Van Bergen saw his shot blocked by McGinn in the sixth minute of the match, as possession was evenly split between the two sides.
Vlap flashed his shot wide of Calum Ward’s net on ten minutes, with Twente pressing high into the Motherwell half. That pressure would pay off after 12 minutes for Twente, as Van Wolfswinkel would convert on the volley from a Younes Taha cross into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
Motherwell looked to retaliate immediately. Despite claims of offside, Maswanhise found himself on the ball in behind the Twente backline and drove a low ball across the penalty box. A sliding Stamatelopoulos couldn’t make contact on the ball in what would have been a certain goal if he had connected.
A second chance would follow on 16 minutes. Ewan Wilson’s deep cross was met well by Fadinger at the back-post who headed down, but the ball wouldn’t fall for Slattery or Stamatelopoulos.
After a short water break for the players at 20 minutes, play resumed with Motherwell looking for the equaliser, but it was the Dutch side who restarted stronger.
On 27 minutes, Ward was forced into his first save in the match. A corner found its way to the back post where Van Bergen was unmarked. From the edge of the box, his effort was palmed away by Ward and subsequently cleared for another corner. Defender Titulaer headed wide shortly after.
On 34 minutes, Twente had a golden chance to double their lead. A mix-up in the Motherwell defence presented Van Wolfswinkel with the ball in the area. Ward managed to recover and get down quickly to deny the Dutch international. Just seconds later, Twente man Van Bergen crashed the ball off the crossbar from distance.
A surge of chances came for Twente before the interval. Ward produced a magnificent save on 45 minutes, getting down low to his left to save Vlap’s effort following a loose pass from Motherwell being intercepted, with Van Wolfswinkel just missing the target with the header seconds later.
At the break, Stephen O’Donnell, Kofi Balmer, Andy Halliday and Tom Sparrow were all introduced to the action. Twente started the second period with a completely changed 11.
The first 15 minutes of the second-half presented zero action in front of goal; however, the Steelmen enjoyed more possession of the ball as they looked to draw level.
Sparrow got the first sighter of the second-half on 63 minutes. Watt’s ball in the channel found the Welshmen, whose shot was blocked for a corner.
Following more substitutes, which saw the introduction of McGhee, Ross, Whyte, Forrest, Friel and Williamson, Twente doubled their lead. A quick break up the park saw Naci Ünüvar eventually convert a second on 74 minutes.
Now a young Motherwell side containing five academy graduates, Twente looked to gain control back in the game.
On 89 minutes, Sparrow’s ball across the goal just missed Williamson at the back post, as Motherwell kept working until the final whistle.
Twente, however, added a third in stoppage time through Ünüvar for his brace, as he converted from a cutback into the bottom corner.
Motherwell Team: Ward, Koutroumbis (70′), Gordon (70′), McGinn (45′), Wilson (45′), Maswanhise (70′), Miller (45′), Watt (70′), Fadinger (70′), Slattery (70′), Stamatelopoulos (45′).
Motherwell Subs: Connelly, O’Donnell (45′), Balmer (45′), Halliday (45′), McGhee (70′), Sparrow (45′), Ross (70′), Whyte (70′), Forrest (70′), Friel (70′), Williamson (70′).
