Beer on the field and almost a Groningen hangover, but bad boy Liam van Gelderen takes care of Groningen’s party in Helmond at the last second

Trainer Dick Lukkien opted for Fofin Turay on the right flank, meaning Noam Emeran had to start on the bench. The Frenchman could not sit for long, because Turay was injured halfway through the first half and Emeran still had to play, only to be injured at half-time. Daleho Irandust took his place again.

Best attack

Turay dropped out after 26 minutes after having just set up FC Groningen’s best attack to that point. He intercepted the ball on the right side of his own half, drove it up, crossed midfield in a long rush and saw Kevin van Veen standing free. The pass was fine, Van Veen also took the ball well and with one feint he sent both center defender Flor van den Eynden and goalkeeper Wouter van der Steen into the woods. The Helmond goalie was already lying and the goal called for the ball, but Van Veen, to the dismay of his teammates, poked the ball wide of the goal.

That moment was already well into the first half, which otherwise had very few highlights. Turay had a chance to shoot and then a header in the crowd in front of the goal, Marvin Peersman headed a corner weakly wide and that was it as far as the FC was concerned. Apart from Van Veen, no player took the ball to test Van der Steen. No, it was knitting too often again: inserting and pulling through, but never taking it out.

Too many bad passes

Lukkien’s team was also not good in passing in Helmond. Too often, Van Veen did not even get into scoring position because the final pass was not good. Luciano Valente did not play his best game and saw some through passes die because they were too short or otherwise not appropriate.

Helmond Sport didn’t make much of an offensive effort either, but did arrive dangerously in front of Verrips’ goal a few times. The best Brabant chance came just after the half hour, when Martijn Kaars was able to shoot in Botos after an excellent attack from the right via Van den Eynden and Ioannis-Foivos. He chose the short corner and Verrips was in a good position.

Better opportunities for Helmond Sport

Kaars was also involved in both of Helmond Sport’s other opportunities. Flank player Arno van Kellegom received the ball from Kaars on a silver platter, but hit completely wrong. And Kaars himself shot into the side net after an action in the sixteen-meter area. No, the home team had the better opportunities in that first half in its own old stadium – the new one is under construction right next to it.

Things didn’t go much better with Irandust in the team. Helmond had the best chance of making it 1-0 when Joseph Amuzu went alone to Verrips, who rounded the ball, but hit Peersman on the goal line. Moments later, Verrips was well positioned for a shot by Enrik Ostrc.

Van Veen then had another chance that was almost as great as in the first half. Irandust tapped wide on a breakout and the Brabander only had to lift over Van der Steen against his old club, but tapped the ball against the goalie of Helmond Sport.

Van Bergen: 0-1

Moments later the goal was scored and so was the beer. A corner from Irandust was tapped in completely free at the far post by Thom van Bergen, who had just relieved Paulos Abraham: 0-1. The joy and relief on the Groningen side were apparently so great that a supporter in the away section threw a glass of beer on the field. While the Helmond authorities were so afraid of another glass of beer from their own supporters’ section after two temporary strikes, the beer now came from Groningen hands. Referee Hensgens temporarily stopped the game.

After the resumption, the Groningen victory continued for a long time, but Kaars still caused a huge hangover for the Groningen supporters. He headed a high ball onto the post, after which substitute Hakon Lorentzen was able to tap in, but was put down by Marco Rente: Rente was sent off with a red card and a penalty, which was used by Kaars: 1-1.

After that, the home team, number 15 in the Kitchen Champion Division, even threatened to win, but that just didn’t happen.

Liam van Gelderen match winner

Notably, Liam van Gelderen provided an ending that was as bizarre as it was festive for the accompanying Groningen fans, who arrived too late at the stadium, meaning the match had already started fifteen minutes later. The newly accepted back, who had been returned to the Under-21 team because he had not kept to agreements, as a substitute, poked a corner kick into the short corner: 2-1. Party in the away section and more Groningen beer on the field, but Hensgens immediately blew the whistle.

Thanks to the victory, FC Groningen climbs to third place in the Kitchen Champion Division. The gap with second place, which directly leads to promotion, is only one point.