Willem II return to the Eredivisie after penalty shootout victory over FC Volendam
Willem II have secured their return to the Eredivisie after just one season away. In the promotion/relegation play-off final, they defeated FC Volendam on penalties. After ninety minutes and extra time, the score stood at 2-1 to the Tilburg side, cancelling out the 2-1 defeat suffered in the first leg. FC Volendam drop back down to the second tier after just one year in the Eredivisie.
Flying start from Willem II at the Kras Stadion
The stakes could not have been higher: FC Volendam needed to win to preserve their Eredivisie status, while Willem II had to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit. Yet the visitors showed little sign of feeling that pressure in the opening stages. On the contrary — they displayed greater sharpness and intensity than the hosts and took control of the game early on. After seven minutes, Siegert Baartmans opened the scoring by converting a cross from Mounir El Allouchi: 0-1. Just over ten minutes later, defender Finn Stam doubled the lead with a thunderous strike: 0-2. In between, striker Devin Haen appeared to have scored as well, but his effort was ruled out for offside. FC Volendam fought their way back into the match, however. In the closing minutes of the first half, Yannick Leliendal fired in to make it 1-2, suddenly bringing a previously subdued Kras Stadion roaring back to life. The hosts pushed for an equaliser before the break, but Willem II goalkeeper Thomas Didillon-Hödl kept his net intact.
Tense second half without goals, extra time brings no decision
The second half lacked the spectacle of the first. The contest descended into a physical battle in which quality football was hard to come by. It was not until the 73rd minute, following a drinks break due to the heat, that FC Volendam fashioned a golden chance to equalise. Substitute Robert Mühren, however, struck the post and the score remained unchanged. The closing stages were nerve-shredding, yet produced no goals, sending the tie into extra time. The tension inside the Kras Stadion was electric. FC Volendam appeared to have scored the decisive goal — sparking wild celebrations among the home supporters — but the effort from the departing Mühren was disallowed for a foul in the build-up. For an exhausted Willem II, the priority from that point on was simply to hold on until the penalty shootout.
Penalty shootout seals FC Volendam's fate
Ultimately, penalties were needed to settle matters, and it was the Tilburg side who held their nerve. Willem II are promoted back to the Eredivisie after a single season away. FC Volendam, who had won the first leg 2-1 in Tilburg on Wednesday, are relegated to the second tier of Dutch football once again after just one year in the top flight.
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Source: Via Omroep Brabant (GNews)
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