Fantastic first half is enough for hugely important Willem II victory

Willem II came out with bad news before the game. Ché Nunnely was injured in training earlier this week and has to watch for months due to a serious knee injury. It was a blemish on the preparation of players and fans in the run-up to kick-off. In the afternoon, supporters gathered en masse in the city center of Tilburg, to walk as a large group to the Koning Willem II Stadium and take place early in the stands to support the team.

The experience that could be seen with the fans was also reflected on the field with Willem II. From the first whistle from referee Allard Lindhout, a red-white-blue whirlwind raged across the field. When the storm passed for fifteen minutes because it was half-time, it was 2-0 for the team of trainer Kevin Hofland. And with that, Willem II actually did himself a huge disservice, because the difference could have been and should have been much greater.

The 2-0 lead was already on the scoreboard after seventeen minutes of play. After fifteen minutes of play it was Wessel Dammers who broke the spell, two minutes later Jizz Hornkamp made it 2-0. At that time, Heracles goalkeeper Koen Bucker had already made two great saves on bets by Dammers and Max Svensson. After the two goals, Heracles seemed just as ripe for the slaughter, but great opportunities were not converted into a goal by Dammers, Hornkamp (2x) and Daniel Crowley.

Victory not in danger
After the break there was a different game picture. Willem II couldn’t keep up the enormous hunt for goals for another half. Heracles Almelo seemed to come into play a little more, although the visitors were certainly not suddenly the dominant party. The home team looked more for the moments to strike and make the decisive 3-0. Mats Köhlert, who could be found everywhere on the field in a positive sense, came closest to the third goal from Tilburg. However, his shot into the short corner was stopped by Bucker.

Heracles was really close to the connection goal for the first time with twenty minutes to play. Timon Wellenreuther worked a good free kick from Sinan Bakis from the top corner. Five minutes later, the Heracles striker was dangerous again with a powder from a distance, but again it was Wellenreuther who had an answer. The team from Almelo did not make a real final offensive, so that Willem II managed to pull the victory over the line fairly easily.

Relegation battle
With the win Willem II took three very important points. Due to the victory, the team is in any case no longer behind in the Eredivisie. She also puts pressure on PEC Zwolle and Sparta Rotterdam, who were on 26 points for the 32nd round, just like Willem II.