Yesterday at 7:20 PM • Modified yesterday at 10:27 PM
Willem II is back in the Eredivisie after a year. The team of coach John Stegeman won the final of the play-offs for promotion/relegation after penalties against FC Volendam. The score after extra time was 2-1 for the Tilburg team. FC Volendam, which won the first match in Tilburg 2-1 on Wednesday, is therefore relegated from the top level again after a year.
The pressure was on for both teams: FC Volendam to maintain their position in the Eredivisie and Willem II to try to overcome the 1-2 deficit from the first leg. Yet there was little pressure on the Tilburg team in the first half. The visitors played strongly and were fiercer than the home team.
After seven minutes it was already 0-1, when Siegert Baartmans turned in a cross from Mounir El Allouchi. Just under ten minutes later it was defender Finn Stam who doubled the score with a hard shot. In between, striker Devin Haen also scored, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
In the final phase of the first half, FC Volendam emerged. Yannick Leliendal shot the 1-2 against the ropes and that ensured that the stagnant Kras Stadium came back to life. The Volendam team hoped to force the equalizer before the half-time signal, but Willem II goalkeeper Thomas Didillon-Hödl saved the day.
Tension
The second half started a lot less spectacularly than the first. There was no good football and there was more of a physical duel. Only in the 73rd minute, after the drinks break due to the heat, did FC Volendam get a big chance. Substitute Robert Mühren stroked the ball and hit the post. The final phase was exciting, but no goals were scored and so extra time followed.
To prevent
The tension in the Kras Stadium was intense and we had to wait for the all-important goal. It went in Volendam’s favor and it was celebrated as if the championship had been won. Yet the joy turned into disappointment, because a foul had been committed prior to the goal of the retiring Mühren. After that it was mainly a matter of stopping what the now battle-weary Willem II had to do.
Decision via extension
Ultimately, penalties had to decide. FC Volendam missed in that penalty series, while Willem II was accurate.
Goalkeeper Thomas Didillon-Hödl is the hero of Tilburg. He took a penalty from FC Volendam and stood behind the ball himself during the decisive penalty kick. The Frenchman did not fail. And so the Tilburg people are back in the Eredivisie.
Follow everything about Willem II’s promotion in our live blog. Or read everything about Willem II here.