Willem II beat Almere City FC 2-0 to reach Eredivisie promotion play-off final
Willem II booked their place in the promotion play-off final on Saturday evening. In a high-stakes second leg at the Koning Willem II Stadion in Tilburg, they defeated Almere City FC 2-0. Goals from Uriël van Aalst and substitute Amine Et-Taïbi secured the Tilburg side's ticket to the final, with the first leg set for Wednesday at 18:45. Their opponent in the final will be determined by the clash between FC Volendam and Telstar, which takes place on Sunday.
From doubt to final: Willem II's eventful season
Willem II's season was a difficult one to read for a long time. At the winter break, the Tilburg side sat a modest ninth in the table and pressure on head coach John Stegeman had mounted considerably. The club's board chose to stick by him, however, and that gamble paid off. In 2026, the team found a more consistent gear and ultimately finished third in the standings. In the play-offs, they first eliminated RKC Waalwijk before facing Almere City FC in the semi-finals.
Goalless first half, but far from uneventful
Willem II had already won the first leg away at Almere City FC 1-0, making the return fixture in Tilburg a tantalising prospect. The scoreboard remained blank before the break, but that was by no means for a lack of action. Willem II created several chances, while Almere City also posed a threat going forward. The visitors even thought they had broken the deadlock after fifteen minutes, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Post, miss and two goals: second half explodes into life
The tempo rose even further immediately after the restart. Defender Finn Stam saw a shot rattle the post, while at the other end striker Ferdy Druijf could not quite convert a dangerous cross. After an hour of play, the breakthrough finally arrived. Goalkeeper Tristan Kuijsten made a costly error and Uriël van Aalst punished him ruthlessly: 1-0. Late on, Almere City came close to levelling when Druijf found himself one-on-one with keeper Thomas Didillon-Hödl, only to slide the ball wide. Substitute Amine Et-Taïbi then put the result beyond doubt with a fierce instep volley: 2-0. The home supporters celebrated wildly, letting off flares in scenes that are expected to result in a fine for the club.
Blow: Calvin Twigt forced off after heavy challenge
The celebrations were tempered somewhat by the loss of midfielder Calvin Twigt. He was forced to leave the field after a reckless challenge by Milan de Haan, who was shown a deserved red card.
Final in sight: schedule and potential opponents
Willem II will host the first leg of the final this coming Wednesday at 18:45 in Tilburg. The return fixture is scheduled for Saturday 23 May at 20:00. Their opponent will depend on Sunday's tie between FC Volendam and Telstar. One notable detail: if FC Volendam win, it will be Telstar who face Willem II — exactly as was the case in last season's play-off final.
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Source: Via Omroep Brabant (GNews)
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