EREDIVISIE: Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 Willem II |

FRIDAY 29TH AUGUST

GO AHEAD EAGLES 1 – 0 WILLEM II

After a poor opening three games, Go Ahead Eagles recorded their first win of the season, overtaking opposition Willem II in the process. This match may not have had many goals, but it was entertaining, with two red cards and plenty of chances, especially in the second half writes Jake Jackman.

Go Ahead Eagles have had a poor start and would be looking at this home meeting against Willem II as the perfect opportunity to get a win on the board, especially as Bruno Andrade and Samuel Armenteros were missing for the away side. Willem have started the season okay after promotion and look like they could have a good season.

After an encouraging start from Go Ahead Eagles, it was the away side that had the first real chance as Ben Sahar had a good run, before his low shot was pushed wide by Cummins. It was the home side that dominated most of the early possession, but the passing took place in their own half, so there was little threat to the Willem II goal. The away side came close to breaking the deadlock as Terell Ondaan hit the post with a shot from outside the area.

The home side slowly started to gain control of the match as Deniz Turuc shot wide from distance. Minutes late, Turuc hit the post, Go Ahead Eagles were looking the better side. They still had the better chances, as both Turuc and Marnix Kolder missed the target from distance.

There weren’t a great amount of clear cut chances in the first half, but the home side were the better team. Both sides hit the post, yet the score remained goalless. Go Ahead Eagles and Willem II both looked okay in possession, but the nerves were clear as they looked more worried about conceding than attempting to score a goal. Marnix Kolder looked the most likely to make something happen in the final third, while the Go Ahead Eagles attackers put in a lot of good deliveries, but nobody could make the decisive touch.

Minutes into the second half, Deniz Turuc had a good chance, but his shot from outside the box was saved easily. The away side also had a chance early on in the second 45 minutes as Robbie Haemhouts headed Stijn Wuytens cross straight at the keeper. Then disaster struck as the away side went down to ten men after Jonas Heymans was sent off. The resulting free kick went straight into the wall, before Turuc fired over from range. It was reckless from Heymans and he deserved to see the red card as it was a dangerous situation for Go Ahead Eagles.

The home side finally took the lead as Bart Vriends headed in from close range after a decent delivery from Jop van der Linden. They nearly doubled their lead after Kolder played a through ball to Jules Reimerink who had his shot saved, he really should have done better.

Another red card was shown, this time to the home side as the goalscorer Vriends was dismissed for violent conduct after hitting an opposition player. Terell Odnaan had a chance to equalise soon after but his shot went wide. Willem II came close to equalising through Wuytens, who hit the bar from a free kick, it was a great effort and he was unlucky not to score. Odnaan then came close twice, once from a free kick as he saw his shot saved, while a few minutes later, he came even closer to drawing level for Willem. His shot from outside the area was wicked and the swerve beat Cummins, but it struck the outside of the post.

The away side continued to push for an equaliser and they were certainly the better side in the final stages, with Odnaan looking particularly dangerous, but Go Ahead Eagles clung on for their first win of the season. They were far from convincing and the two red cards definitely hindered the flow of the game. Willem II will point to hitting the frame of the goal three times and say they were unlucky to lose, but the home side controlled the majority of the match. A draw would have been a fair reflection on the match, but the home side will not be complaining after picking up their first three points of the season.

TEAMS

GO AHEAD: Cummins, Nieuwpoort, Vriends, Van der Linden, Schenk, Van Ooijen (Duits 74), Overgoor, Türüç, Reimerink (Lewis 82), Kolder (Ten Den 90+3), Schalk.

SUBS NOT USED: Van der Hart, Rijsdijk, De Sa, Van der Meer.

GOALS: Vriends 64.

BOOKINGS: Van Ooijen 71, Schenk 81.

SENT OFF: Vriends 69.

WILLEM II: Lamprou, Cornelisse (Heerkens 60), Peters, D. Wuytens, Heymans, Haemhouts, Messaoud (Zanelli 77), S. Wuytens, Ondaan, Vicento (Van der Struijk 56), Sahar.

SUBS NOT USED: Sporkslede, Ippel, Meul, Derkx.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: Heymans 46, S. Wuytens 86.

SENT OFF: Heymans 55.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jop van der Linden (Go Ahead Eagles)