Valthermonds Veerbeek knocks out Helpman in a post-competition match

Erik Jan Veerbeek was the man of the match, but also the oldest player on the field. Veerbeek was of course a satisfied man after his two great goals: ,,I will stop with the first one after this season, I will be 39 years old in January. I’m down a team. I wish Valthermond that we get promoted, we have been close for years. And it’s great that I can score twice.”

On the day that Marco van Basten FIFA president Infantino called for pure playing time and less protest at the referees, the reception in Valthermond was warmest at the gate. The circumstances invited a wonderful game of football. Helpman Sunday can also start the summer break after the Saturday branch. In the previous round, Helpman passed Rolder Boys with the necessary fortune.

Last loss was against Helpman

Valthermond has been aiming for promotion for years. It fell one point short of champion WKE’16 and made it to the playoffs three times since promotion to the second division in 2016. And in the aborted Corona year, Valthermond was at the top. The last defeat was on April 3, against Helpman and that club also lost to WKE’16 in the last game in injury time, which brought some excitement.

The game got off to a slow start, as if someone were trying to hit a triangle with a carrot. The mixed first division seems too ambitious for both teams. Lots of ball loss, little guts and creativity. Moreover, the referee Arends, who whistled quite well, seemed to think that the evening revolved around him. Helpman played football a little easier, but Jorn Miedema’s effort (via the fingertips of Valthermond keeper Noah Sahetapy) just went over.

The goal that gave Valthermond the lead was therefore not the result of a streamlined attack. Lars Baar – cornered – rammed the ball forward, Jens Bulle headed backwards and Erik Jan Veerbeek was suddenly free for goalkeeper Milan van Bommel. The veteran showed his class, skilfully slaloming around the Groningen goalkeeper: 1-0. John Draijer failed to unwrap a present from Helpman just before half-time.

Again Veerbeek

Valthermond played a lot better after the break, but Helpman only sold the skin for the top prize. Remarkably, the neutral assistant wrongly flagged two promising attacks from the home club, which caused the entire stand – full of football connoisseurs of the purest water – to glow with an indignant roar.

Both coaches Dennis van den Driessche van Helpman and Kenny Konings made substitutions and paced nervously along the field. Milan Draijer had a huge chance to settle the matter, but stranded on Van Bommel. Eighty minutes after the first and only chance, Helpman had created nothing, but then suddenly Jorn Miedema appeared. Outlawed and just in front of goal, he hit keeper Sahetapy. Shortly afterwards, Veerbeek decided the match, Tom Meijer’s pass was well spent on the match winner: 2-0.

The next hurdle awaits Valthermond on Sunday. Union from Malden (near Nijmegen) is coming to Drenthe. Then a possible final awaits. Veerbeek’s career can be extended for a while.