Dutch Eredivisie

Goalless draw at Abe Lenstra

The new Eredivisie season got off to a low-key start this evening as Heerenveen and Roda JC played out a goalless draw at Abe Lenstra stadium.

Veteran Heerenveen striker Gerald Sibon had the best of what chances there were in a dour encounter but the former Ajax and PSV Eindhoven man could not find a way past Bram Castro in the visitors' goal.

The point will be welcomed by a Roda side who only secured their participation in this year's Eredivisie campaign by defeating Cambuur Leeuwarden on penalties in a promotion/relegation play-off at the end of last season.

Trond Sollied's hosts will have been frustrated to drop points in a home game so early in the campaign as they look to build on last year's strong fifth-placed finish.

Heerenveen looked to boss the contest from the outset and a three-man attack comprising Sibon, Roy Beerens and summer signing Michal Papadopoulos was a clear signal of intent from Sollied.

Sibon twice threatened the Roda goal in the first 45 minutes as he proved a danger in dead-ball situations but the visitors' back line held firm, while Darryl Janmaat went close with an effort that was scrambled to safety by Roda defender Davy de Fauw.

While struggling to create chances of their own, Roda did occasionally threaten on the counter-attack with strike duo Mads Junker and Dieter van Tornhout looking lively, but Brian Vandenbussche, named in the Heerenveen goal due to an injury to Kenny Steppe, was not called on to make a save.

The interval failed to stem the tide of the largely one-way traffic and Sibon again tested the Roda goal in the second period but this time Marcel de Jong hacked clear of the line.

With the clock ticking down Roda almost snatched all the points through two efforts from Boldiszar Bodor, but Vandenbussche was equal to both as the game petered out into stalemate.