FC Emmen also won the second game in the semi-finals of the promotion/relegation play-offs on Saturday evening. NAC Breda was defeated 2-0 and so the team from Drenthe can prepare for a battle with Almere City.
Confident
FC Emmen started the game with confidence. The team passed the ball around easily, as if there were no nerves. There was little to see from a NAC Breda that would play full on the attack, as coach Peter Hyballa announced in advance. The first plague bumps therefore came from Drenthe side. After more than two minutes of play, Mike te Wierik had the ball in front after a free kick from Mark Diemers put him alone in front of goal, but the right back shot just wide.
The audience in the almost sold-out Oude Meerdijk was already jumping from their seats. So in vain. FC Emmen kept pushing, but there were no real opportunities. That quick goal, which coach Dick Lukkien fervently hoped for prior to the match, therefore failed to materialize. Jeremy Antonisse’s dribbles came to naught, as did the work ethic of Lorenzo Burnet, who often steamed up the left side. NAC Breda had things reasonably in order, especially in the back.
NAC Breda brutal
As the first half progressed, the visitors became more and more brazen. First there was Boyd Lucassen’s cross, which was barely cleared. After that, the team from Breda became dangerous via Jort van de Sande, but his header lacked sharpness. FC Emmen had been warned, NAC Breda seemed to slowly grow into the game. In fact, the team was slightly the better of the two in the final phase before half-time and also seemed to take the desired lead.
Aimé Omgba was sent into the depth and threw the ball in front of the goal. Ezekiel Banzuzi knew what to do with that. The attacking midfielder rammed the ball past FC Emmen goalie Mickey van der Hart. However, it did not take long before referee Bas Nijhuis blew his whistle, a rarity for him, as it turned out again on Thursday evening. But Omgba was offside when he received the ball. De Oude Meerdijk in turn breathed a sigh of relief.
World goal Zivkovic
FC Emmen had to do it again on Saturday evening without Keziah Veendorp. The midfielder, just like Wednesday in Breda, had not yet recovered sufficiently from a knee injury. Fortunately, his replacement, Jari Vlak, did well. The Volendammer did a lot of work and was one of the better players on the Emmen side. Incidentally, just like his partner in crime, there centrally in midfield: Ahmed El Messaoudi. The Moroccan Belgian also broke open the match.
After an hour of play it was finally hit for FC Emmen. A few minutes after Antonisse could have given his team the lead but fumbled the ball wide, Richairo Zivkovic did. The fast striker received the ball on the right side of the penalty area. He could put it back on Ole Romeny, but chose his own luck. Successfully. Zivkovic hit the left intersection and left NAC Breda goalie Roy Kortsmit completely without a chance. A world goal.
Wings for FC Emmen
The lead, which made it almost impossible for FC Emmen to miss the final of the promotion/relegation play-offs, after Wednesday’s earlier 1-2 victory, seemed to give the Drenthe premier divisionist wings. There were opportunities for Burnet and Antonisse, El Messaoudi and Romeny found the post on their way. NAC Breda had almost nothing to contribute. The times the team got out were easily foiled by the Bucket defense. Van der Hart also saved the day a number of times.
Trainer Dick Lukkien made a number of substitutions in the final phase. Jasin Amin Assehnoun and Ben Scholte got the chance to show themselves, just like Oussama Darfalou. The visibly tired Antonisse, El Messaoudi and Zivkovic were allowed to prepare for the next match. Because that it would come, became a fait accompli due to a goal in stoppage time from Assehnoun. The fast attacker shot the ball from a great distance with a nice curl past Kortsmit.
Next stop: Almere
The next stop for FC Emmen is Almere, where the team will face Almere City on Tuesday evening at 8 PM. The team of trainer Alex Pastoor secured a spot in the final earlier in the evening by winning via penalties against VVV Venlo, which miraculously missed all penalties. The second final game will take place on Sunday evening at 6 p.m. at De Oude Meerdijk. Then it will become clear whether FC Emmen will also be retained for the premier league next season.