Hoogeveen in cup match with ten men along Be Quick

A spectacle? No, Nico Haak did not expect that. ,,Matches against Be Quick are almost always boring”, Hoogeveen’s trainer stated in the run-up to the game. “The players know each other too well, as do the trainers. Both teams are well organised, but often too little happens for the goals. It’s mostly a game of chess.”

The showdown between the two leading northern teams in the Fourth Division of Sunday football did not have the scenario that Haak had predicted. Hoogeveen-Be Quick 1887 was an open game, in which the players of both teams went all out for victory. And also gave each other space for that. There was also no shortage of work ethic and commitment.

Power difference was minor

Even though the difference in strength was small, Be Quick faced a 2-0 deficit at halftime. The home team needed three chances for that. The first was for Sil Kuurman, but he shot the ball against goalkeeper Swen Bakker. Louis Vijfhuizen, with a beautiful pass through the heart of the defense custom served by Kuurman, made it 1-0 halfway through the first half with a controlled slider. Alex Bekkink doubled the lead after chaotic defending at Be Quick.

The Groningen team, with the young Nilay van der Ploeg as the most striking player, also had chances, but Martijn van Maastrigt and Geertjan Liewes were unable to deal with them.

Red card goalkeeper

Just before halftime, the Hoogeveen team turned into a dozen. Goalkeeper Renzo Hemmes came out of his cage wildly with a breakthrough by Lieuwes and knocked him down hard. The red card that referee Zeeman held out to him was more than deserved. Stan Meekhof did the honors for Hemmes who had been sent off and Haak took Raphael Ngendakumana to the side.

At Be Quick, Liewes was back on the bench after a number of matches. After a holiday, the regular face at the point of the attack had lost its place to young Robbin van Kooten, who scored eight times in the seven games in which he participated. Liewes and Van Kooten formed an attacking pair against Hoogeveen. The cooperation between the two must continue to grow.

‘Haarlemmer oil’ was missing

Trainer Steven Wuestenenk had an almost fit selection at his disposal. Only left back Windster had to cancel due to a minor injury. The Hoogeveen team had quite a few changes. Haak could not rely on Menno (‘my Haarlemmer oil in midfield’) and Tom Heerkes and Levon van Dijk. The Heerkes brothers are on winter sports, Van Dijk has been injured for some time.

Due to the absence of Menno Heerkes, Haak Emiel Bijlsma dropped a line and a place became available in the front for Ngendakumana. Giorgio Beltau replaced Tom Heerkes at left back. Just like at Be Quick, where Bakker played instead of Robert Smit, Hoogeveen, with Hemmes in front of Meekhof, was the second goalkeeper between the posts.

Easily upright

With ten against eleven, Hoogeveen remained upright quite easily in the second half. The Drenten first expanded their lead even further. Justin Benjamins benefited from a mess at Be Quick in the back. In the final phase it got even more exciting. The Groningen team came back to 3-2 just before time through Liewes and Pim Betzema, but Hoogeveen didn’t let it get any further.