Van den Brom praises Twente standout: 'He's eighteen years old'

Twente won 1-1 against Pafos in Conference League; 18-year-old defender Ruud Nijstad scored his first headed goal to spark the comeback.

FC Twente secured their third consecutive Conference League group-stage victory with a comeback win over Pafos. Ruud Nijstad, the 18-year-old Twente defender who turned down offers from Barcelona, PSV and Eintracht Frankfurt to stay and develop at the club, scored the crucial equaliser with a header.

Trainer John van den Brom praised Nijstad's performance, noting it was his first headed goal and came at a critical moment. "He's eighteen years old. He does it brilliantly," van den Brom said. Nijstad himself was delighted, crediting assistant coach Jeffrey de Visser for encouraging him to use his head more. "I don't score often with my head, I think never before. I have to give Jeffrey de Visser credits because he always asks when I'll score with my head," the defender said.

Captain Robin Pröpper highlighted Twente's dominance, saying they controlled the match for ninety minutes and created many chances. Twente face Ajax next Sunday.