Green Yellow has done itself a disservice by the first play-off game for a ticket in the Korfbal League to lose. The team from Wormer received a brutal beating from the main division HKC on a visit to Hardinxveld-Giessendam. Despite a lead at halftime, Groen Geel eventually lost 22-17.
Groen Geel started the game energetically and seemed to have little trouble with HKC. In no time at all, Daniel Harmzen’s team took a big 3-8 lead and HKC seemed ripe for demolition. At Groen Geel, however, the sloppiness then started to increase and HKC came back into the game. At halftime, the lead had shrunk from five points to two: 7-9.
Lost track
After the break, the game turned completely in favor of the home side. HKC fought for every ball and the shots also fell more and more often. Groen Geel had completely lost its way and suddenly faced an 11-16 deficit halfway through the second half. Harmzen tried to turn things around with a number of substitutions, but this failed to materialize. HKC continued to hurt Groen Geel at the right moments, held on to the large lead and ran out to a handsome 22-17 final score.
Due to the defeat, Groen Geel now has to win the return match in its own sports hall on Saturday in order not to be relegated to the Korfbal League. If there is a win this weekend, there will be a deciding game on Tuesday 26 April.