It was a heated evening in The Hague, with a bizarre score, two red cards and referee Danny Makkelie who had to stop the match twice due to unrest in the stands. Once the gunpowder fumes had cleared, Excelsior had promotion in the bag. The ME had to intervene afterwards to get a group of angry ADO fans off the field.
The Mobile Unit fights the field empty afterwards.
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Where Excelsior at first seemed to immediately submerge in a greenish-yellow volcano, the Kralingers eventually survived the first half hour fairly easily. Towards the half hour of play, Excelsior even had a chance to take the lead. After an excellent breakout by the Kralingers, Jamal Amofa got a shot from Marouan Azarkan on the arm. Referee Danny Makkelie was called to the side by VAR Kevin Blom, which led to a penalty for the visitors.
ADO goalkeeper Hugo Wentges saved a penalty.
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And that’s where the great Hugo Wentges show began. The almost two meter long goalie, who will report to the Dutch Juniors next week, did everything on his goal line to upset Excelsior’s top scorer Thijs Dallinga. It worked. The roller of the man of no less than 35 goals this season was a prey for Wentges, just like the equally mediocre rebound of the striker.
It led to a huge outburst of joy in the stands, with the objects flying onto the field, down to an empty bottle. Referee Makkelie opted for a cooling off period of about ten minutes.
Mats Wieffer (left) of Excelsior in duel with ADO player Felipe Augusto Rodrigues Pires
AP
It happened quickly after the restart. Who else but Thomas Verheydt gave ADO the lead. In minute 35, the striker smashed his forehead into the 1-0 from a cross from left back Boy Kemper. Five minutes later Pires shot the 2-0 into the far corner. When Sem Steijn, who is leaving for FC Twente, also shot in the 3-0 immediately after the break, Excelsior seemed completely broken.
“We are a worthy club, that’s great”
Until ADO right back Tyrese Asante got red in minute 69. Via Azarkan, Excelsior did something back eleven minutes before the end. It turned out to be the start of a tumultuous final phase, in which ADO started to falter when Reuven Niemeijer also scored 3-2 two minutes later. The VAR intervened because of hands, but a minute later Niemeijer made it 3-2.
ADO supporters sitting on the boarding.
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Fans on boarding
ADO seemed to have helped when Excelsior also got red: Michael Chacon had to leave the field. Suddenly ADO supporters appeared on the sidelines of the field to get ready for a promotion party, but then the Kralingers threw him one more time and Thijs Dallinga made up for his missed penalty and worked the 3- 3 inside. Because of fans on the boarding along the field, Makkelie temporarily stopped the game for a second time.
In the 7th minute of extra time, Sacha Komljenovic seemed to score the winning goal, but in the second half Rachid El Yaakoubi headed in the second equalizer of the evening: 4-4. Penalty kicks then determined the winner. With Feyenoord, Sparta and Excelsior, three Rotterdam clubs will be active at the highest level next season.
Thijs Dallinga
Dallinga let his tears flow. “What a night, I’ve never seen it so crazy,” said the top scorer. Excelsior fought back in the final phase from a deficit of three goals (3-3), came back in extra time and won on penalties.
The promotion did Dallinga extra well because he missed a penalty at a score of 0-0. “That’s the worst thing there is. Fortunately, I was able to head the ball in the 92nd minute to drag out an extension. I really have no words for it. I’m so proud of this team, really not normal.”
Dijkhuizen was pleased to see that his team kept the peace in a match that was interrupted twice due to misbehavior by ADO fans. “You’re not going to ask for analysis, are you?” he said. “We got up out of nowhere. We are a worthy club, which is nice.”