Willem II return to the Eredivisie after nerve-shredding penalty shootout against FC Volendam
Willem II have secured their return to the Eredivisie by defeating FC Volendam in the play-off final. Following a 1-2 away win in Volendam, extra time and a penalty shootout — in which only Nordin Bukala missed — the Tilburg club will compete at the top level again next season.
Return after one year away
One year after Willem II, as Eredivisie's sixteenth-placed side, were stunned by Telstar in the play-off final, the Tilburg club have written a very different story. The third-placed side in the Eerste Divisie this time secured their way back to the top flight, at the expense of FC Volendam — and they did so in spectacular fashion: across two legs, extra time and ultimately a penalty shootout. Only Volendam's Nordin Bukala failed from the spot, and with that the outcome was sealed.
Willem II make a strong start in Volendam
The outlook for the second leg appeared to favour Volendam, who had won the first leg in Tilburg 2-1 and could count on home support on the shores of the IJsselmeer. But Willem II tore up that script early on. In the eighth minute, a corner routine via Mounir El Allouchi found Siegert Baartmans, who tapped in from close range: 0-1. Nine minutes later, Finn Stam doubled the Tilburg lead. He capitalised on a defensive error by Gibson Yah and found the bottom corner with a firm, angled strike: 0-2. Referee Sander van der Eijk saw no foul in the contact between Stam and Yah, and the VAR also declined to intervene — though Yah was forced to leave the pitch with an injury.
Volendam fight back before the break
The home side were slow to find their rhythm. It was not until after the half-hour mark that Volendam first threatened, through a shot from Juninho Bacuna, the Curaçao international and World Cup participant. It was ultimately Yannick Leliendal who found the net just before half-time to restore tension: 1-2 at the break. Willem II narrowly held on to their advantage on aggregate.
Mühren and Kuwas bring experience to Volendam
Volendam turned up the pressure after the interval. The 37-year-old Robert Mühren, who suggested these could be his final minutes as a professional footballer, came on alongside the 35-year-old Henk Veerman in attack. A quarter of an hour later, Brandley Kuwas — a World Cup representative with Curaçao alongside Bacuna — was also introduced, replacing the injured creative spark Bilal Ould-Chikh. Mühren struck the post after a delicate through ball from Veerman and later claimed a penalty for a push in the back, but Van der Eijk waved play on. The second half produced little else, making extra time inevitable.
VAR rules out Volendam's potential winner
In extra time, Volendam showed the greater urgency to avoid a shootout. The home side created chances and appeared to have forced the decisive moment when a close-range finish from Mühren seemed to hit the net — but the VAR intervened. Moments earlier, Leliendal had been standing on a Tilburg player's foot, and the goal was disallowed. Willem II were also under heavy pressure in the second period of extra time, but survived by the skin of their teeth to reach the penalty shootout, aided in part by Volendam's attack lacking the required cutting edge at crucial moments.
Penalties seal Willem II's promotion
In the decisive shootout, the Tilburg players kept their nerves in check. Only one player missed: Volendam's Nordin Bukala. Willem II converted their kicks and will return to the Eredivisie after just one season in the Eerste Divisie. A year ago, the play-offs ended in tears; now, Tilburg has every reason to celebrate.
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Source: Via NOS (GNews)
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