Richairo Zivkovic made his sixth league goal of this season against NAC Breda on Saturday evening. And what kind! It turned out to be a hit that will never be forgotten for several reasons.
After more than an hour of play, Richairo Zivkovic gave his team the desired 1-0 lead with a shot in the left intersection. NAC Breda goalie Roy Kortsmit stood there and watched. The ball bounced off the inside of the post to the ropes to his right. A beautiful goal for several reasons, as it turned out afterwards.
Because of its beauty, but also the circumstances. “First of all, the goal was liberating,” said trainer Dick Lukkien. “We started playing football more easily after that. Besides, I think it should have been. Richairo was dealing with sad family circumstances. That he then powders it in like this… A special moment.”
Too little eye for the goal
Zivkovic, who only wanted to speak to NOS and ESPN after the game, thus made his sixth league goal of this season. Significantly, he pointed both fingers to the sky. Although full of praise for the goal, Lukkien also cracked a critical note. “I am glad that Richairo now went for his own chance. He has far too little eye for the goal.”
Zivkovic is known this season as a hard worker, even in the back of the defense the Groningen balls are cleared. But what the striker is actually in the field for, namely scoring goals, is below average. Lukkien: „He is a huge one team player even if we don’t have the ball. But with the ball he can go for his own chances. In fact, he should.”
Distances too great
Partly due to Zivkovic’s goal, FC Emmen is in the final of the play-offs for promotion/relegation. In it, the team will meet Almere City (away on Tuesday, at home on Sunday). Although FC Emmen won twice against NAC Breda, Lukkien was not 100 percent satisfied with the game shown. The trainer saw that his team did not always keep to the agreements.
“The distances were too great,” he said. “And that while football is a game of distances. We just didn’t have that right in the first half. Also, it seemed like we had very little energy. For example, we were very sloppy on the ball, which meant that we ended up in transition moments every time. It’s just hard to play football.”
An angry Lukkien
The Veendammer trainer said he had become quite angry with his players during the break, because the agreements were not fulfilled. “We have been working together all year round. If you then make agreements with each other, you also have to make sure that you get it done. And deliver quality. I didn’t think that was right in the first half.”
That went much better in the second half, and will also have to be in order against Almere City on Tuesday. What does Lukkien think of the poster? “From a football point of view, Almere is a better team than VVV Venlo, with more quality and choice at the front. Ultimately, it is number three in the first division. In that respect, a play-off final that does justice to the ranking.”