The promotion race is heating up with the final four teams set for finals of the playoffs on Thursday and Sunday in two-legged affairs. Go Ahead Eagles face FC Volendam and Sparta Rotterdam play Eredivisie relegation threatened Roda JC.
In Sunday’s action, the surprise of the round was in venlo as VVV‘s fate was sealed as they are are now relegated to the second tier as they slumped to a 3-0 home defeat against Go Ahead Eagles.
The Eagles only finished sixth in the Jupiler League but could yet claim an unexpected place in the Eredivisie. The goals scored by Jarchinio Antonia (14), Quincy Promes (81) and Marnix Kolder (89) seeing them to a huge 4-0 aggregate win.
Roda JC, who found themselves alongside VVV in the relegation play-off zone, have avoided relegation (so far) as they emphatically smashed De Graafschap 6-1 for a 7-2 aggregate win.
Jordan Garcia-Calvete fired De Graafschap ahead to give the team from the second tier the aggregate lead, but it was one-way traffic after that, with a brace by the consistent Sanharib Malki and on-loan striker Frank Demouge effort putting Roda 3-1 up at half-time. Malki completed his hat-trick two minutes after the restart, while Mitchell Donald’s two goals
Eerste Divisie runners-up FC Volendam won 4-1 over MVV on aggregate with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Top scorer Michiel Kramer (44), Ludcinio Marengo (80) and Robert Muhren (90) notching for Volendam as Mark Veldmate hit MVV’s consolation.
Jupiler League’s third place side Sparta Rotterdam are also through after drawing 1-1 with Helmond Sport for a 5-3 aggregate win. Toni Varela put Sparta ahead 55 minutes before Emrullah Guvenc levelled late on.
The finals of the playoffs begin on Thursday so join us then and over the weekend for full coverage here at Total Dutch Football.
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