The second base of the season, his first goal, his first win against De Graafschap in four games and a ticket to the semi-finals of the play-offs. On Friday the 13th Justin Oogenia had a very nice evening. One that he still enjoys for a while.
Several carnival squatters blare out of the speakers in the Jan Louwers Stadium after FC Eindhoven’s 3-1 victory. Players such as Jort van der Sande, Jens van Son and Mawouna Amevor take the time to talk to fans and have their picture taken. The real party is over for a while, Ogenia has just gone to the dressing room. “No, I was not on the treatment table yet. I was just grabbing a shake. Take it easy tomorrow and then we’ll look again. At least now I feel good.”
Ogenia has been missing for a large part of this season due to a cruciate ligament injury. In mid-January he made his first minutes in the competition. A month ago – until the game with De Graafschap – he played his only game as a basic player, against Jong PSV. Then the counter got stuck at 73 minutes, now it lasted a few minutes longer.
“I felt it already in minute 65, I was really ready.”
In minute 75 he went to the ground, two minutes later he was substituted. “I was really ready”, says the former Willem II player with a big smile. “I already felt it around minute 65. I already told the trainer that the end was coming. I thought: I’ll just say it in advance. Enough is enough.”
“In the past, I would really go on to the end,” admits Ogenia. But after that serious injury, he is different. “If your legs are tired and you have to jump crazy or something, you end up wrong, that stays in your head. Then you just have to be sensible. If I can’t anymore I’m going to do stupid things, I can hurt myself. After “There is no need for an injury like that. There are substitutions who are fit, who are strong. So if you really can’t do it, you just have to switch. That’s really no problem.”
“You have to enjoy this, we don’t make the play-offs every season.”
That injury also ensures that 23-year-old Helmonder enjoys the win over De Graafschap. Of his goal, of the victory, of the party afterwards with the fans. “One hundred percent. You have to enjoy this. We don’t come here every season. I am definitely going to enjoy this too.”
That is not possible for too long, by the way, Tuesday is the first of two games in the semi-finals of the play-offs on the program. The team of Rob Penders will then compete against NAC Breda or ADO Den Haag. After that, another possible final awaits. Ogenia doesn’t know where it will end. “But of course I really hope for promotion. That’s what we’re going for anyway, the highest possible. And I think we can do it too. In the competition we also showed that we can win against those opponents. In the play-offs is everyone tired, it doesn’t have to be that, it’s about the mindset, who wants this the most?”
In any case, Ogenia really wants it, just like all his teammates. Because Friday’s Eindhoven party leaves every blue-and-white person wanting more.
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