Two used penalty kicks are the story of De Graafschap-FC Eindhoven in the first game of the play-offs for promotion. Hands were made twice in the penalty area, twice the ball went on the dot and there was no VAR to watch. Both teams were able to take advantage of the opportunity to end the game 1-1.
FC Eindhoven closed the season last Friday as number three in the Kitchen Champion Division. Opponent De Graafschap did a lot less, the team from Doetinchem only finished ninth. Still, the expectations of the home team were high, partly due to the two mutual matches that were played earlier this season. FC Eindhoven did not go further than a 0-0 draw at De Graafschap, while they lost 1-2 in their own Jan Louwers Stadium.
With the support of the fanatical supporters, who were loudly present from the first minute, it became clear to FC Eindhoven that it could be a tough evening. It didn’t, however.
No VAR
After ten minutes of play, referee Alex Bos pointed to the penalty spot. On the advice of his assistant, he gave a penalty to the team of trainer Rob Penders. A handball by Jeffry Fortes was penalized. There was no fear that the decision would be reversed on the advice of the VAR. Due to a misunderstanding at ESPN, the necessary cameras for deploying the VAR were not present, so that the VAR is not used in the first round of the play-offs.
De Graafschap may have been lucky with that. Even before the penalty kick, which was used well by Joey Sleegers, there was a moment that the VAR would normally have looked at. The very industrious Charles-Andreas Brym, who managed to set up several FC Eindhoven attacks with the necessary effective chopping balls, fell while on his way to the opponent’s goal. Bos didn’t like it, but the images showed that the Canadian attacker was hit.
With just under twenty minutes left, Bos pointed to the dot again after a handball. This time it was Van der Sande who got the ball on his arm after a volley by Fortes. Goalkeeper Nigel Bertrams had no answer to the effort of substitute Danzell Gravenberch, so that the score was again equal: 1-1.
Difference
The home crowd definitely helped De Graafschap in this game. The fans shouted their team forward. The fanaticism of the supporters was not visible in the first half with the players of the Superboeren. FC Eindhoven held out easily. That was also because the home team often played the long ball, which tall central defenders Mawouna Amevor and Maarten Peijnenburg knew how to handle.
In the second half FC Eindhoven was pushed back more and more. Before the equalizer, FC Eindhoven had already escaped twice with the fright. First it was Giovanni Korte who found goalie Bertrams on his way, then Sam Hendriks shot wide in a promising position. After the 1-1, the visitors got a huge chance via Van der Sande, but Penders and co had to hope that the 2-1 would not fall. Basar Önal was the closest to a hit, but Bertrams saw his effort end up just next to him in the side net. The goalie was also sharp with shots from Gravenberch.
Goals were no longer scored, which means that FC Eindhoven has every chance at home on Friday to reach the second round of the play-offs for the second time in club history.
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