Two FC Emmen players will never forget the match against FC Utrecht in the sun in Galgenwaard Stadium. Ben Scholte (21) from Ter Apel made his basic debut in the premier league, Maurilio de Lannoy (19) from Zuidlaren came in more than fifteen minutes before time and thus made his first minutes at the highest Dutch football level.
It was certainly not a world match that FC Emmen played at FC Utrecht, but there was struggle and passion and Lukkien’s team, full of substitutes, made it difficult for the home team, who had long been placed for the play-offs for a European ticket. enough.
“Annoying for him, but nice that I can play”
Thanks to a few youngsters from Groningen and Drenthe. Afterwards, Maurilio de Lannoy beamed to the press. ,,Fantastic. This season I came quite unexpectedly and quickly to the first selection from the Under-21 and in recent weeks I have been regularly on the bench with the first. My mother had read in your newspaper that I was allowed to go to Utrecht, she said: maybe you can play, although I didn’t assume that myself. But when Julius (Dirksen, dropped out with a minor injury, sb) had to leave, the trainer called out that I had to warm up very quickly. Yes, it suddenly goes very fast. I thought: annoying for him, but great that I can play.”
De Lannoy was born in Almelo and moved to Zuidlaren at a young age, where he still lives. He started at – then – ZFC Zuidlaren, ended up in the youth academy of SC Heerenveen and made the switch to FC Groningen after two years in the Frisian Haagje. There he ended up in the class with Romano Postema, Joël van Kaam, Kian Slor and Milan de Koe. With the Under-17 of FC Groningen, he became national champion four years ago after a historic match against Ajax (5-2). ,,I was a freshman then, so I played a little less that season”, says the Zuidlaarder, ,,but I did become champion.”
Grandpa as a taxi driver
In 2021 he made the step from Corpus den Hoorn to Emmen. ,,My grandfather always brought me to Emmen in recent years, now that I have my driver’s license, I drive myself.” How did it go against FC Utrecht? ,,Very nice,” said the young right-back. ,,Of course it was only short, but almost twenty minutes is not nothing. At least I’ve had the ball a few times. And I thought it went well. Of course, we lost in the end.”
Ben Scholte is a more famous appearance in the first of FC Emmen. The talent from Ter Apel, who was discovered at FC Ter Apel’96 and then went through the entire youth academy of FC Emmen, already got a base spot twice last season, but then FC Emmen was still playing in the Kitchen Champion Division.
More attacking midfielder than ‘6’
The midfielder regularly comes in this season, but he has never started in the base before. Scholte was satisfied with his performance, although he admitted that he would rather aspire to be an attacking midfielder. “It is familiar territory for me. As a ‘six’ I had to make a lot of meters. That suits me well, but I think I’m even better on the ‘ten’.”
With the pass with which he introduced FC Emmen’s first equalizer, he sent exactly that signal. That ball, perfectly on the head of Mike te Wierik, who headed the ball through to Ole Romeny who only had to walk in, was a clear calling card.
Ending contract
What will Scholte do now that his contract has expired? “I really don’t know yet. My agent is in talks. There has also been a talk with FC Emmen, but nothing has been signed yet.”
Whether he counts on playing time in the first playoff match against NAC, in Breda? “Yes, of course I hope so. But when everyone is fit again, you know it. On the other hand, I think I showed myself in this match.”