After beating the leader, FC Emmen is back in the race for play-off places

Four years ago, on February 22, 2020, FC Emmen played one of its best matches ever at De Oude Meerdijk. Willem II was beaten 4-2 that day with enchanting play. Three weeks later, the coronavirus abruptly ended the season. Willem II finished fifth and entered Europe, FC Emmen finished twelfth. Both clubs could look up.

Clubs in minor key

How different is it four years later? FC Emmen was relegated to the first division a year after the canceled season, returned to the highest level, but immediately dropped again. Things also went downhill quickly for Willem II. In 2022, the people from Brabant were relegated to the Kitchen Champion Division.

Both clubs are eager to return to the Premier League. When Willem II and FC Emmen crossed swords on December 1, 2023, there was a battle for the top position. The Tilburg team won 3-0 at home. FC Emmen won only once in the long series of matches that followed the top match, Willem II only lost once.

Coincidentally, those two games were last week. FC Emmen won 2-0 at home against SC Cambuur and Willem II lost 3-2 in the top match against Roda JC in Brabant. These results slightly increased the Drenthe’s chances on Friday evening. After all, for the first time in months, we could train for a week with a smile on our face.

Goal Besuijen

The teams did not match the level of the 2020 competition on Friday evening. Still, there was plenty to do on De Oude Meerdijk. After shots from Drent Robin Schouten (Joshua Smits saved) and Matthias Verreth (just curled past the post), Vicente Besuijen broke the spell after 21 minutes. Two Tilburg residents got in each other’s way after a long throw-in from Jeff Hardeveld and at the far post the Aberdeen loanee rammed the ball into the roof of the goal.

The wing attacker celebrated his celebration for the profession of Willem II fans. A Tilburg rage beer ended up on the field. An Emmen resident quickly threw the plastic back over the boarding to prevent a temporary strike. That short respite came shortly afterwards, because the fanatical supporters of the Drenthe celebrated the goal with torches and smoke pots. It obstructed the view of the field so much that Lindhout decided to stop the game for a short time.

View images of the fireworks below. The article continues below the video.

After the interruption, the game initially flowed calmly towards halftime, but in injury time of the first half, FC Emmen goalkeeper Eric Oelschlägel suddenly became busy. The closing post saved skillfully from efforts by Jeredy Hilterman (twice) and Rúnar Sigurgeirsson.

Back in play-off race

In the opening phase of the second half, Willem II became dangerous several times, but as the match progressed, FC Emmen took control. Luca Bernadou saw a promising shot blocked and Ben Scholte pushed forward after a nice combination through the center, but his shot was turned away.

After the chances for FC Emmen, it was the Tilburg team’s turn again, but thanks to an excellent Oelschlägel, the Drenthe people survived. In the final phase, substitute Bradly van Hoeven even made it 2-0. Willem II is still the leader after the second defeat in a row and FC Emmen is creeping closer to the play-off spots thanks to the victory. And 2018 taught us what that can bring.

FC Emmen-Willem II 2-0

Score progression: 21. Besuijen 1-0, 89. Van Hoeven 2-0

Yellow card: Robin Schouten, Scholte (FC Emmen), Bosch, St. Jago (Willem II)

Referee: Lindhout

Spectators: 7475

FC Emmen: Oelschlägel; Robin Schouten, Te Wierik, Vos and Hardeveld; Kieftenbeld, Scholte (90. Smeets) and Bernadou; Besuijen (70. Van Hoeven), Konings (70. Parzyszek) and Ubbink (70. Brouwer)

William II : Smith; St. Jago, Behounek, Erik Schouten and Sigurgeirsson (66. Nizet); Doodeman (66. Razak), Bosch (80. Joosten), Verreth and Meerveld; Hilterman and Bokila (66. Oosting)