Opened with force majeure winner in fourth class B. ‘Club was ready for a championship after about thirty years’

No one within Opende doubted that the championship would come. The lead was already thirteen points before the meeting with the last attacker Drogeham. With a win, the title was a fact, but with any other result, the party had to be postponed.

Playbook

The club decided to just take a chance and put the ‘title party’ scenario into effect. With two double-decker buses, the supporters of Opende went to Drogeham to shout their club to the championship. The motto became ‘to experience is to experience’ and the players did not disappoint the organisation.

After the fog of red-white fireworks had dissolved, the still undefeated visitors also exploded like rockets from the starting blocks. Pressure was immediately put on the defense of the Frisians, the eventual loss of the ball yielded results within twenty seconds. Jarno Westerhof hit the far corner from the edge of sixteen: 0-1.

Hat trick

The dream start will have tempered any nerves that may have been present and after half an hour the argument was completely settled. After a nice cross from Niels de Jong, Jarno Westerhof again pulled the trigger. The hopeless Frisian goalkeeper will only have heard the seething shot: 0-2. Fifteen minutes before the break, there was a foul on Corwin Westerhof and brother Jarno completed his hat-trick from the spot: 0-3.

Drogeham not only played for bacon and beans and also had a few chances, but the excellent goalie of Opende goalie Alma was always on point. Especially his feline save on the shot of striker Remco Wijma, spicy enough player of Opende next season, was of excellent quality.

Formality

The second half was no more than a formality. Shortly after the restart, Nanne Storm could have eased the tension somewhat, but Alma reversed his efforts. De Jong lifted the final score to 0-4 after about an hour of play.

,,A hat-trick in the championship game, that’s what you dream of of course”, star Jarno Westerhof enjoyed. ,,We wanted to start sharp, but it is very nice if you score within twenty seconds. My second goal was the best, but I think the first is the most important.”

While the fully loaded buses were already ready to head towards Opende, where the championship party would continue with live music, Opende chairman Bas de Bock briefly considered the title. “A great achievement. The club was ready for a championship again after about thirty years. We have a young group that can certainly compete a class higher. And the great thing is, they are almost all boys from their own youth.”