For a long time, SC Cambuur was allowed to dream of the first final place in club history. It was a memorable evening against NEC, but ultimately for the wrong reasons for Cambuur: 1-2.
It became very quiet in the Cambur Stadium in the tenth minute of extra time, after NEC’s fatal 1-2. A blanket of disappointment fell over the stands. Of course, SC Cambuur still had enough time to score the equalizer – and perhaps more. But NEC was so much stronger that the belief in a final place almost immediately disappeared.
Cambuur is therefore a new cup trauma richer, after the missed final of 2017. Anyway, conversely, it was a small miracle that Henk de Jong’s team reached the semi-finals this season. And yes, there was little to argue about the elimination. NEC deservedly won.
Fire-breathing ladies on the players’ tunnel. A colossal banner in front of the north stand, while one fireworks arrow after another was shot into the air. Cambuur boosted the match against NEC to immeasurable proportions, complete with personal messages from family members for the players and more than a thousand supporters at the penultimate training. “For us this is the match of the century,” De Jong described the semi-final.
Much needed support
The madhouse outside the lines had to give Cambuur the much-needed support on the field. And that happened. Cambuur gave a few percent more. NEC played a few percent less than in recent weeks, in which the team regularly fluctuated in the Premier League. A third factor that should not be underestimated? Things were going well for Cambuur for a long time. But luck, as an underdog in these types of matches you simply need it.
Take the ball on the post from NEC striker Koki Ogawa in the opening phase, with Yanick van Osch playing a role that should not be underestimated. Cambuur’s goalkeeper had one of his better matches this season. Take Sontje Hansen’s deflected shot, which ends up on the crossbar. Take all those times that Cambuur thwarted danger just in time, with a foot, a push or a header.
What a night. The continuously singing and heaving stands. The fireworks kept popping outside the stadium, while Cambuur defended compactly and then fired fiercely. Sometimes also attacking towards the NEC goal, often with long balls to Roberts Uldrikis.
Uldrikis is very strong
The tall striker gave the NEC defense a lot of work in the first half. But not only that: Uldrikis made the old Cambuur Stadium vibrate like never before halfway through the first half. Jeremy van Mullem pumped the ball towards the penalty area, Fedde de Jong extended and Uldrikis headed in at the far post: 1-0.
Uldrikis played so well. Van Mullem ditto. Backs Thomas Poll and Sturla Ottesen held their own, as did central defenders Marco Tol and Leon Bergsma. Well, actually every Cambuur player scored a passing grade.
However, things became tough for De Jong’s team after the break. NEC increased the pace. Chery became more and more involved in the game. A true siege arose in front of Van Osch’s goal. Cambuur squeaked and creaked, initially survived a few hectic moments, but after an hour they scored through Ogawa: 1-1.
As crazy as it sounds, that goal initially also provided relief for Cambuur. NEC had what it wanted with the equalizer. The urgency disappeared from the game of the Nijmegen team, giving Cambuur a little more breathing space.
Cambuur fought hard
However, it remained a struggle, as Cambuur barely left its own half. Numerous NEC balls were barely blocked and cleared. Yet the 2-1 could have easily fallen, a few minutes before the end, when Milan Smit came very close to a goal with a header.
Not much changed in the game pattern in extra time. Cambuur was tired, while NEC had two luxury substitutes available with Lasse Schöne and Yvandro Borges. The latter was at the basis of the 1-2 with a clever move, shot in by Kodai Sano. Toothless was then the final offensive of Cambuur, which must secure the play-offs in the remainder of the competition. No one at the club wanted to think about that late on Tuesday evening.