Henk Veerman rolled back the years and scored four goals, Heracles and MVV keep their 100% records and Vitesse and VVV showed their power in yet another wild weekend across the Dutch second tier, Will Burns is here with all the main talking points.
I have attached highlights from the clubs’ official or ESPN.nl’s YouTube channel where available so you can watch while you read along.
FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST 2026
TOP OSS 2-1 JONG FC UTRECHT
TOP Oss earned a deserved 2–1 win over Jong FC Utrecht after starting strongly, taking an early lead when Marcelencio Esajas headed in a fine cross from Mert Erkan. TOP Oss continued to dominate, hitting the woodwork through Erkan and creating several chances before halftime. After the break, Sjors Ultee made a triple substitution, and it paid off on 65 minutes, when Esajas dribbled past his man and set up Maurilio de Lannoy, who calmly slotted home to double the lead.
Jong FC Utrecht pushed late and finally pulled one back from a corner in the 88th minute, with 17-year-old substitute Jerayno Hunte getting his first senior goal, just moments after Mike Havekotte had made a brilliant save to deny the visitors. The closing minutes were tense, but TOP Oss held firm and secured a deserved victory, keeping all three points at the Frans Heesen Stadion.
RODA JC 2-2 NAC BREDA
NAC Breda clinched a draw at Roda JC after they fell behind just after the half‑hour mark when Marco Tol put the hosts ahead, but Moussa Soumano levelled things before the break after good work from Jannes van Hecke. Early in the second half, Anthony van den Hurk won and converted a penalty to restore Roda’s lead, yet Paul Gladon stepped up late on and forced home the equaliser, ensuring NAC left Kerkrade with a point.
RKC WAALWIJK 2-2 JONG PSV
RKC and Jong PSV played out a 2–2 draw with both sides dominating different phases of the match. The home side started brightly and raced into a two-goal lead thanks to well‑taken goals from Keyan Varela, who was a constant threat throughout the first half. RKC continued to create chances, but the PSV youth struck back against the run of play when Souleymane Sidibé made it 2–1.
RKC still looked the stronger side before the break, yet could not extend their lead. Right after half time, Jong PSV’s substitutions paid off immediately, with Austyn Jones finishing a swift attack to level the score at 2–2. From there, the match opened up, with both teams pushing for a winner and in stoppage time, each side had one last chance, but neither could convert, leaving the Mandemakers Stadion with a fair share of the points.
JONG AZ 1-2 MVV MAASTRICHT
MVV won its fourth straight match in Alkmaar, marking the best start to a season in their history. For supporters who endured last season’s frustration, the transformation feels surreal. MVV aren’t blowing teams away, but they look organised, resilient, and full of players capable of deciding matches.
On Friday night, the start was shaky when Hugo Wentges had to tip a shot out of the top corner, but once MVV settled, they took control. Milan Hofland’s perfect cross allowed Olivier Dumont to head in the opener, and the defensive trio of Finn Dicke, Sven Bouland and Sil van der Wegen kept AZ’s youngsters quiet.
MVV continued to press rather than sit back, suffocating Jong AZ’s build‑up play after the half time break. Their reward came when Dumont found Noa El Hamdaoui, who scored his first professional goal with a composed finish. A late lapse made it 2-1 and caused some nervous moments, but debutants Naïm Matoug and Onesime Zimuangana helped see out the win.
JONG AJAX 3-2 HELMOND SPORT
Jong Ajax earned their first points of the season. Pharell Nash opened the scoring with a stunning long‑range strike set up by Diego Pugno, who also assisted Emre Ünüvar’s fine finish to make it 2-0. Before the break, Brian Koglin pulled one back for the hosts, and after half time Sem Dekkers equalised for Helmond. Pugno then capped his outstanding performance by scoring the decisive goal, sealing Jong Ajax’s first victory and first points of the campaign.
FC VOLENDAM 6-1 FC DORDRECHT
Volendam powered past Dordrecht in style, led by an unstoppable Henk Veerman. The big veteran striker struck twice inside the opening fifteen minutes, setting the tone for a dominant display. Martin Vetkal briefly pulled one back, but Reuven Niemeijer restored Volendam’s cushion before half‑time. After the break, Veerman completed his hat‑trick with a brilliant backheel, and although Precious Ugwu missed a penalty, the goals just kept coming.
Fifteen minutes from time, Veerman added his fourth, assisted by Nick Doodeman, before Doodeman himself capped the rout with Volendam’s sixth. It was a ruthless performance from Het Andere Oranje.
FC DEN BOSCH 1-4 VITESSE ARNHEM
Vitesse left ’s‑Hertogenbosch with a heavy 4–1 win, taking full control after a dramatic first half. Connor van den Berg set the tone early by saving a Kevin Monzialo penalty he had conceded moments before, and Vitesse immediately capitalised. Naoufal Bannis broke the deadlock with a composed finish, then Filipe de Carvalho Ferreira doubled the lead on the counter. Within minutes, Bannis struck again from close range, giving the Arnhem side a commanding three-goal advantage before the interval.
Den Bosch tried to respond after the break and forced Van den Berg into another sharp save from a free kick, but Vitesse remained in control and continued to find space behind the home defence. Their pressure paid off in the 72nd minute when a cross from Solomon Bonnah deflected awkwardly off a defender, wrong‑footing goalkeeper Pepijn van de Merbel for 0–4.
The hosts pulled one back late on through Lorenzo Hoffman, but Vitesse never looked in danger of letting their lead slip. The visitors saw out the final minutes comfortably, securing their second win of the season with a confident and clinical performance.
SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST 2026
DE GRAAFSCHAP 1-4 ALMERE CITY
In Saturday’s oinly game, De Graafschap fell 4–1 to Almere City, despite controlling long stretches of the match. After an early save from Ties Wieggers and a strong spell of pressure that produced several chances for Julian Kania, the hosts looked in control. But Almere struck first through Ferdy Druijf, before Kania deservedly levelled just before half‑time with a low free‑kick. De Graafschap even came close to a 2–1 lead in added time, yet went into the break tied.
After the interval, De Graafschap continued to push forward and created more opportunities through Nart Ahmeti‑Grainca, Donny Warmerdam and Gabriele Finocchiaro. Wieggers also kept his side in the game with strong saves on Emmanuel Poku and Ferdy Druijf. The match swung back and forth, and although De Graafschap had more of the ball and applied sustained pressure, Almere remained dangerous on the break. Gijs Bolk came closest for the hosts, firing into the side netting from close range.
Almere’s efficiency proved decisive. Druijf made it 2–1 in the 71st minute, and in the closing stages Enzo Cornelisse and Olivier de Nijs added two more to seal the win. De Graafschap’s possession and pressure weren’t enough to overcome Almere’s clinical finishing.
SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST 2026
FC EINDHOVEN 1-3 HERACLES ALMELO
Table toppers Heracles extended their unbeaten run with a commanding 3–1 win away in Eindhoven, showing once again why they look like one of the division’s most complete and confident sides. Eindhoven tried to unsettle them early, but once Jean‑Paul N’Djoli threatened and Chafik Abbas began finding space, the visitors took control. Their pressure paid off just before half‑time when Djevencio van der Kust finished off a slick Heracles move, although aided by a deflection, to give the Almelo side a deserved 1–0 lead.
Eindhoven briefly reignited the match after the break with a brilliant header from Siegert Baartmans, but Heracles responded ruthlessly. Just three minutes later, Damon Mirani rose highest at a corner to restore the lead, and the momentum swung fully back to the visitors. Heracles then showed their killer instinct: Tristan van Gilst won a penalty after a defensive mistake, stayed ice‑cold from the spot, and made it 3-1.
Even as Eindhoven pushed desperately in the final stages, Heracles remained composed, organised and dangerous on the counter. The hosts created a few late chances, but the Almelo defence held firm, closing out another impressive victory. With this win, Heracles not only stay unbeaten, they look increasingly like a team with real authority, confidence and momentum and set for a return to the Eredivisie.
VVV VENLO 4-0 FC EMMEN
VVV extended their winning streak to three games in style, sweeping aside FC Emmen at De Koel. With key players Gabin Blancquart and Tijn Joosten unavailable, Marinus Dijkhuizen’s side still started confidently in front of more than 5,000 supporters. Dean Zandbergen set the tone with two first‑half goals, a powerful header from a Lars de Blok cross and a composed finish after a perfectly timed pass from Alex Schalk, giving VVV full control at half time.
Emmen tried to respond early after the break but VVV stayed compact and waited for their moment. When space finally opened up, they struck ruthlessly when Mohammed Odriss picked out Edhy Zuliani at the far post for a simple tap‑in to make it three. Emmen continued to see plenty of the ball, yet VVV’s organisation and efficiency kept them at arm’s length.
The afternoon ended perfectly for the home side when Luis Görlich added a fourth late on, finishing through the legs of Sam Karssies after a clever run and pass from Zuliani. With three straight wins and a dominant performance to match, VVV‑Venlo’s momentum is unmistakable — and confidence in De Koel continues to grow.
MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2026
JONG AZ 2-1 JONG FC UTRECHT
Jong FC Utrecht made a dream start in Alkmaar, taking the lead inside the first minute when Emmanuel Chigozie Owen broke through and beat Kiyani Zeggen. The early setback gave Jong AZ plenty of time to respond, and they gradually grew into the match. Their comeback began when Ayoub Oufkir was played in behind and calmly finished into the far corner for 1–1. Right after half time, Tycho de Wit tapped in the 2–1 to complete the turnaround. Jong AZ then controlled the remainder of the match despite no more goals materialising.
JONG PSV 1-1 JONG AJAX
Jong PSV and Jong Ajax shared the points on Monday evening in Eindhoven. Ajax struck first after fifteen minutes when Emre Ünüvar turned in a low cross from Levi Acheampong. Both sides created chances in an open first half, but neither could add to the score before the break. The equaliser came midway through the second half. Amir Bouhamdi went down in the box under a challenge from Leroy Fränkel, and Austyn Jones converted the resulting penalty to make it 1–1. Despite opportunities for both teams, the score stayed level, leaving the match without a winner.
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