Even the ‘office teacher’ cannot save Oranje Nassau from defeat

Brenda Kuiper is team manager of Oranje Nassau. But she is much more. She flags, as an assistant to the often mediocre referees. “I also consulted with the board, because of course we wanted to be on the main field. I arrange the transport, the practice matches, the second and third things, and not to forget the clothing. That is a crime. Yes, I am a rule-breaker. At work they call me the office teacher,” said Kuiper.

‘Someone else gets beer’

Ninety minutes later, Kuiper dejectedly surrenders her flag: “I think we were much better before half time and our goal was wrongly disallowed. They were better in the second half. We did give everything. Is the championship out of sight? No, we still have a tough schedule, but the season is of course going great. My work is done, I think. Someone else gets beer, if we still get it. There is another singer, but the men also lost.”

Beforehand, the enthusiasm bursts from the faces of the ON players. Kicking eagerly, like calves after a long winter in the stable, they wait before the second field is empty. After all, the men play on the main field, against Hoogezand. “That wouldn’t happen to us,” said the DTS leader. Nanne Iedema, trainer of ON, is as usual no different. Captain Celine Agema: “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Josefien Slump: “Yes, very important too. My sister (Isabella, goalkeeper of ACV -ed.) has just lost 1-0 to Saestum.” Sanne Beerta smiles a bit tensely. The guests’ trainer Andrew Thomas has respect for ON: “It’s great how they are participating at the top of the top class so quickly. They were also really good with us in Ede. I give Saestum the best title chance.”

Bobby Dijkstra is the top scorer in the top class

Oranje Nassau is doing surprisingly well this season. It is only the second year in the top class and before the start the Groningen women are in 2nd place, just ahead of today’s opponent on goal difference. ON is by far the most scoring team in the top class, the highest amateur level for women, just below the Premier League. ON has already scored forty times, the lion’s share scored by Renée Huizinga (10) and Bobby Dijkstra (17), with an average of 1.3 goals per match.

Door Training Sterk takes the lead in an even match. El – Gebdri leaves goalkeeper Karin Köpke without a chance (0-1). It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness and so the home team passionately searches for the equalizer. A few times the last pass is just too soft or too hard to bring the dangerous duo up front into position. ON only gets one real chance. After excellent work by Josefien Slump, Dijkstra hits the goalkeeper’s fists. A goal by Marieke Baas is disallowed for offside and there are questions about this.

After rest, ON does not get further than a lot of good will. Dijkstra shoots just over after a cross from Marieke de Boer. Only in the very last minutes, with many women in the front line, does it become a bit threatening, but DTS is the deserved winner. However, the Groningen women played good football. Fans who think that women’s football in the North is not much should take a look at ACV – ON on March 16.