The Orange Lionesses would play an exhibition match against the national women’s team under 19 in Escaren on Thursday. Were it not for the fact that glass and stones threw a spanner in the works. The field of EGS’20 in Escaren was littered with them and that is why the Orange lionesses decided to clean up the mess themselves. Their attempt was in vain: to avoid any risk of injury, the exhibition game was moved to Horst.
Upon arrival, the players immediately discovered that there were stones and pieces of glass everywhere on the field. At the request of national coach Andries Jonker, they have meticulously scoured the field themselves to remove the dirt.
Orange stars Lieke Martens, Jill Roord and Daniëlle van de Donk, among others, searched the field so that it can still be played.
‘Very bitter’
However, the search was not enough. The KNVB decided to move the game to Horst in Limburg for the safety of the players. “Very bitter”, says association manager Edwin van Kraaij of EGS’20. “We have tried to make the field as ready as possible with volunteers. Among other things, by scarifying the field (removing dead grass, ed.). As a result, the dirt has come up,” he says.
For amateur club EGS’20 it would be the seventh time that an Orange team would play an exhibition match in Escaren.