FC Eindhoven has qualified for the semi-finals of the play-offs for promotion to the Eredivisie at the expense of De Graafschap. The team of trainer Rob Penders won 3-1 at home against the club from the Achterhoek and now meets ADO Den Haag or NAC Breda.
Monday’s first leg in Doetinchem ended in 1-1 and FC Eindhoven quickly put things in order at the return in the Jan Louwers Stadium. After 24 minutes, the final score was already on the scoreboard with hits from Justin Ogenia, Charles-Andreas Brym and Joey Sleegers on behalf of the home team. In between, Mees Kaandorp made the 1-1 for De Graafschap.
There is a good chance that ADO will be the next opponent of FC Eindhoven, which only played in the Eredivisie from 1975 to 1977. The Hagenaars will play at home against NAC on Saturday, after they already won 1-2 in Breda on Tuesday.
De Graafschap has been sentenced to one more season in the Kitchen Champion Division. The club, which finished ninth in the regular competition, had a disappointing season. FC Eindhoven ended the competition in third place, behind the newly promoted clubs FC Emmen and FC Volendam.
In addition to ADO-NAC, Roda JC-Excelsior is also on the program on Saturday. The winner of that diptych – the first match in Rotterdam ended in 2-2 – will meet the number sixteen of the Eredivisie in the semi-finals.
Joey Sleegers cheers after FC Eindhoven’s third goal.
Joey Sleegers cheers after FC Eindhoven’s third goal.
Korte misses opportunities for De Graafschap
The play-off between FC Eindhoven and De Graafschap was a reflection of the regular season. Both teams had many opportunities, but the ‘Superboeren’ had trouble converting them into goals, just like in the competition.
It was Eindhoven that opened the score in the tenth minute with a shot by Ogenia in the far corner. Six minutes later, Kaandorp scored the equalizer for Jan Vreman’s team. In the 22nd minute Eindhoven took the lead again, this time Canadian Brym worked in a cross from Collin Seedorf. Two minutes later, Sleegers, one of the trendsetters in Eindhoven this season, threw out a nice solo and scored (3-1).
De Graafschap was unable to make it exciting afterwards. The away team still had chances, but especially Giovanni Korte did not finish it. So it remained 3-1 and that was more than enough for FC Eindhoven to continue to hope for a return to the Eredivisie after 45 years at the second level.
Charles-Andreas Brym made it 2-1.
Charles-Andreas Brym made it 2-1. Photo: Pro Shots