West Bromwich Albion have got off to a winning start on their pre-season tour of Netherlands courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Vitesse this evening.
Goals from Salomon Rondon and Callum McManaman either side of Nathan's equaliser were enough for the Baggies at the GelreDome as the Premier League outfit won 2-1 for the second pre-season game in a row.
The match got off to a low-key start, with neither side threatening to break the deadlock until the 19th minute, when James Morrison was inches away from doing so in spectacular fashion with a dipping 30-yard effort that came back off the crossbar.
The visitors did get the opening goal just seven minutes later, though, as Rondon stepped up to a free kick and picked out the top corner from 25 yards.
Vitesse were gifted a chance to level things up towards the closing stages of the half when Ben Foster picked up a back-pass from Jonny Evans, but after being teed up from the indirect free kick inside the box, Mohammed Osman saw his effort clatter against the bar.
The hosts had another good opening in the first minute after the restart too, but this time Arshak Koryan could only fire across the face of goal when well placed.
Baggies boss Tony Pulis made a host of changes early in the second half, and one of them, Craig Gardner, sent a free kick whistling narrowly past the target shortly after his arrival.
It was Vitesse who got the second goal of the game, though, levelling things up when Chelsea loanee Nathan found space to shoot before firing past sub goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.
Gardner again came close just past the hour mark with a header that also went wide of the target, but the visitors were soon back in the lead when McManaman dipped one way and then the other before sending his shot in off the post.
Vitesse could not come up with a reply in the closing stages as the Baggies saw out the victory ahead of Saturday's meeting with PSV Eindhoven.
Barney Corkhill
