Penalties and a penalty bench during a cup match between Oranje Nassau and WVV

Prior to last weekend’s match against Winsum, Oranje Nassau coach Erwin Heerlijn compared that team with Croatia – many good players, but never the favorite. We will not do it to Heerlijn to ask him at every match with which national team he compares the opponent, but his team, playing in the Dutch team, will meet WVV 1896 in the Northern District Cup on the same evening as ‘the big Dutch team’ takes on Gibraltar. So well, one more time…

Now, as a first division team in the cup, you sometimes play against ‘little ones’ in the first rounds, but WVV is absolutely no Gibraltar. In fact, the Winschoters are in the same competition as ON and are at the top, five points ahead of the Groningen residents, who are third, but played one match less. Previously Orange’s group mate France?

“Phew, haha, difficult… But not France. That is real top of the bill . They can put in almost eleven equally good players for the basic players.” Heerlijn doubts, and then you know, bearing in mind the ’80s monster hit by Het Goede Doel, what he will ultimately end up with. ,,Belgium. They have very good players, but sometimes there can be some sand in the engine.”

Penalty bench

Heerlijn speaks true words there, because Martijn Delger, the club’s top scorer this season, and club icon Martijn Drent have been disciplinary suspended tonight. The first one is in the stands and remains relatively cheerful. “Haha, yes I made a mistake and now I’m on the penalty bench. I was substituted on Saturday and I wasn’t happy about that. The same applies to Drent. The trainer has already said that things can be sorted out again after a good conversation. That’s Thursday.”

Delger sees from the stands that some established names are also not in the starting line-up at Oranje Nassau. Captain Ard Veenhof is on the bench. Not because he didn’t behave himself. “I’m giving some boys a rest. Very honest: I think the cup is important, but we have three matches in eight days and a tough program afterwards,” explains Heerlijn.

Entertaining duel

The players who are on the field make it quite an entertaining match. Both teams make some mistakes, but that is also because they both dare to take risks and the pace is high. Before halftime, Ezra Schrijver comes closest to a goal on behalf of ON with a shot on the crossbar, and Ivar Bruins gets the best chance for the Winschoters – Joar Terpstra, normally a reserve goalkeeper for the Stadjers, shows that he is an excellent goalkeeper.

After the break it is initially less attractive for the audience that ignored the big Orange and the last election debate, but they are then treated to a flaming shot on the crossbar from ON substitute Peter van Son and later a mega opportunity for the same From Son. The home team deserves the goal – and therefore the victory – more than WVV. That goal does not happen, but in the penalty shootout the Dutch team still gets Nassau what it is entitled to. They need six penalties to do it; substitute Veenhof makes the decisive one.