Whistle AFC ‘compliment’ for Benno Nihom: “There was no difference with Vitesse”

“It is that you leave the field with a bigger grin, because you have played a good game,” says 24-year-old Van Zetten. “Goalkeeping went well from the first moment. Then you automatically grow into the match.”

It was Van Zetten’s first time in such a large stadium. “I played for FC Utrecht and Almere City as a youth team and there were sometimes matches at Emmen or Den Bosch in the stadium. The most supporters I played for were against RKAV Volendam in the previous round.”

Text continues below the video.

“A bit between pride and disappointment,” AFC coach Benno Nihom tries to describe the defeat against Vitesse afterwards. “You are an athlete and you want to win. There should have been at least an extension today. Afterwards I said that we should be proud.”

In the final phase there was a whistle from the stands from Vitesse. “That is also a compliment. They would have wanted to see a bigger difference between the teams. That difference was not visible, not even in fitness. In the end they were happier because they won.”

Text continues below the video.

Purmerender Million Manhoef won with Vitesse against AFC, the team where he played football as a youth. “It was certainly fun to play against AFC. It’s been a while since I was there, but I saw some familiar faces again.”

“Every win gives us self-confidence,” Manhoef concludes. “Hopefully we can extend that to next Sunday against Feyenoord.” The national champion will be the opponent of Manhoef and his Vitesse from 2:30 PM.