FC Den Bosch managed to grab the last ticket for the play-offs for promotion to the Eredivisie on Friday evening. At home they lost 1-3 to ADO Den Haag. This loss was favorable for the people of Den Bosch to keep Vitesse out of the period. Vitesse itself did not win, which means FC Den Bosch will play the play-offs.
The task for the match was clear for the residents of Den Haag: losing to ADO Den Haag offered the best chance of the last play-off ticket. This was not reflected in the attitude of the residents of Den Bosch. We started with the strongest available setup. ADO took office with no fewer than nine changes.
The tone was set in De Vliert stadium from the first second. The crowd cheered every time ADO crossed the halfway line and was disappointed when the Hagenezen missed. In the meantime, people were watching the matches Willem II – FC Dordrecht and in particular SC Cambuur – Vitesse. In the meantime, FC Den Bosch keeper Pepijn van de Merbel made a few good saves and defender Nick de Groot even cleared a ball off the line.
Yet ADO scored within half an hour. A shot from Sekou Sylla was deflected and fell behind Van de Merbel. This goal was celebrated amid loud cheers from the FC Den Bosch supporters.
ADO flag in the stands
Then it turned out that someone was waving an ADO flag in the stands, even though no fans from The Hague were welcome. A number of fans on the M-Side did not like this and climbed over the fence. After the man was spoken to and removed by security, the match continued.
FC Den Bosch was in good shape at halftime. Even though Vitesse was ahead with ten men at Cambuur, ADO and Willem II were also ahead, which would be enough at the end of the match.
To make sure that the residents of Den Bosch would not come back, the score became 0-2 in minute 49. And if there were any doubts, ADO also made 0-3 very shortly afterwards via Nigel Thomas. In the meantime, Cambuur had reached 1-1 and so there was cheering again in De Vliert.
Farewell Danny Verbeek
The fans in Den Bosch were also allowed to really cheer a few times. Rafi Wolters made it 1-3 half an hour before the end and then club legend Danny Verbeek came onto the field. He is saying goodbye to professional football and after the match an extensive farewell was said to the native of Den Bosch.
Yet it was still exciting, because the score was 1-3 in Den Bosch, but in the meantime the matches in Dordrecht and Leeuwarden were still going on.
And after ten minutes the fans could still cheer. Willem II won against Dordrecht, meaning they won the period, FC Den Bosch entered the play-offs and Vitesse was left empty-handed.
Re-competition programme
To reach the Eredivisie, FC Den Bosch must survive four rounds. The first opponent is Almere City. The people from Den Bosch will play at home on Wednesday, after which the return will follow next Saturday.
Other Brabant clubs
Willem II won 1-2 at FC Dordrecht, won the fourth period and finished third in the Kitchen Champion Division. It was a disappointment that both strikers Devin Haen and Thomas Verheydt were injured in Dordrecht.
The Tilburg team will enter the second round of the play-offs and will meet the winner of RKC Waalwijk – Roda JC on Tuesday, May 5, and the return will be in Tilburg on Saturday, May 9. The Waalwijkers enter the first round (Tuesday, April 28 away and Friday, May 1 at home) with confidence after the 4-1 victory over Jong PSV.
The winner of the second round will play the semi-finals on Wednesday 13 and Saturday 16 May. The final for an Eredivisie ticket against the number 16 of the Eredivisie is on Wednesday 20 and Saturday 23 May.
