SC Heerenveen's glaring issue in front of goal was laid bare in a 0-0 draw with Telstar on Sunday. Despite racking up 22 shots, six of them on target, Kees van Wonderen's side failed to find the net at the Abe Lenstra Stadion.

The match report noted: "The teams came away from the Abe Lenstra Stadion without scoring despite plenty of chances: 0-0." The home side created the opportunities. Before half-time, striker Dylan Vente headed wide from a Vasilios Zagaritis cross. Early in the second half, Nökkvi Thórisson seemed certain to score after a turn, but goalkeeper Ronald Koeman junior made the save. Koeman junior was Telstar's hero, later making stops with his feet as well.

Dramatic Finale

Tension peaked in stoppage time. In the fifth added minute, Vente and Koeman junior collided heavily. Both players required medical attention but were able to continue. It was the final act of an afternoon of frustration for Heerenveen. The team made five substitutions in search of a breakthrough, introducing Luca Oyen and Jelani Seedorf for fresh impetus. Marko Farji picked up a late yellow card.

The numbers tell the story. Heerenveen now sit 11th in the Eredivisie with six points from six matches. This is their third consecutive draw, following 2-2 results against Willem II and Ajax. Their recent form reads DLDLD, with just one win this season. The attacking woes are structural: seven goals in six games is a poor return. The full standings show the gap to leaders PSV Eindhoven is already ten points.

Contrast with Last Week

This result stands in sharp contrast to the previous home game, a 2-3 defeat to AZ Alkmaar. On that day, Niels Courtens and Rik Meerveld found the net. This time, the attack faltered with half-chances and good saves. The statistics from that match and the upcoming fixtures are available in our data. The squad is currently missing creative force Dirk Proper, which hasn't helped their build-up play. His absence is reflected in the current squad lineup.

Next up is an away trip to face Sparta Rotterdam, a direct rival in 12th place. Heerenveen must rediscover their scoring touch quickly, as points are slipping away. The team travels to the Sparta-Stadion on Saturday, September 19th for a clash key to the mid-table battle.

More detail at AD.nl