On the basis of the statistics, we look ahead to the first round in the Eredivisie. FC Volendam is making its comeback after more than thirteen years and AZ has not lost to Go Ahead Eagles at home for more than forty years.
4837 days:
It’s finally here this afternoon. FC Volendam returns to the Eredivisie after 4837 days, or more than thirteen years. They start against FC Groningen and the last meeting at the highest level was on November 9, 2008. This is not a good memory. It was then 5-0 and that is the biggest defeat ever. Volendam’s last victory dates back to 2004. Maurice Buys scored the only goal, 0-1.
Relegation:
The last season of Volendam in the Eredivisie was in 2008/09. At the time, the team finished in eighteenth place under Frans Adelaar. With that, it relegated again after promotion. They had only one point less than De Graafschap, in the last round it became 2-2 against the Superboeren. That was not enough for enforcement.
Negative Balance:
The aforementioned defeat in 2008 is not an isolated incident. The new Orange traveled to Groningen sixteen times in the Eredivisie. The home side took the three points nine times, tied four times and only won three times.
Green-white and orange:
A long list of players wore the uniform of both clubs in the past. Jack Tuyp, Lars Veldwijk, Michael Reiziger, Arvid Smit and ESPN analyst Kees Kwakman (photo) among others played in the fishing village and at the Trots van het Noorden.
Eredivisie experience:
Last week, the eel farmers attracted two players with Eredivisie experience. Carel Eiting, the newest addition to FC Volendam, played against FC Groningen three times in his Ajax time. He won twice and lost a duel. The other purchase, Henk Veerman, played against Groningen in the Euroborg last season for sc Heerenveen. It became 1-1.
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AZ – Go Ahead Eagles
Six points:
The Alkmaarders won twice last season from Kowet. In Deventer it was 1-4 by two goals from Sam Beukema (photo) and Vangelis Pavlidis. At home it was 5-0 by goals from Karlsson (2x), Dani de Wit, Zakaria Aboukhlal and Tijjani Reijnders.
Kees Box 70:
The first league goal of AZ’s top scorer, Kees Kist, was against Go Ahead Eagles. He did that in the 1969-1970 season in the game against the Deventer team. On Sunday, Kist celebrates his 70th birthday.
Forty years undefeated:
When it comes to the statistics, AZ has little to fear from the people of Deventer. The last defeat was forty years ago, in 1981/82. 22 times were played in Alkmaar at the highest level. Eleven times it ended in a win for AZ, nine times it was equal and only two times were lost. Last year’s 5-0 was the biggest win in history.
Not lost August 7:
Today’s date, August 7, has been kind to the Alkmaarders several times in the past. Football was played three times on this day in the Eredivisie. Two of those were won and one drawn.
Alkmaar and Deventer:
In addition to Sam Beukema, there are many more players who used to be at AZ and kowet were on the payroll. Think of Bert van Marwijk, Jan Kromkamp, Demy de Zeeuw, Martin Haar and more recently, Giliano Wijndaldum, Justin Bakker and Joris Kramer.