Almere City FC took an important point at the last minute on Monday evening in the battle for second place in the Kitchen Champion Division. For a long time it looked like the team of trainer Jeroen Rijsdijk would lose to Telstar at home, but in the 95th minute Almere City came alongside thanks to Radinio Balker: 1-1. Despite the loss of points, Almere City, which has 67 points, retains the third place in the ranking; NAC Breda occupies fourth position with a point less, while number two De Graafschap (70 points) is most favorable in the battle for the second ticket for direct promotion. Furthermore, Roda JC Kerkrade managed to win for the first time since 1997 when visiting MVV Maastricht: 2-4.
Almere City FC – Telstar 1 – 1
The home team was given several opportunities to open the score in the opening phase. Oussama Bouyaghlafen had the opportunity on the left flank to deliver a cross to Thomas Verheydt, whose header went just wide. After fifteen minutes of play, the club top scorer of Almere City was again put in position, but this time goalkeeper Jasper Schendelaar stood in the way of an Almere goal. Then the ball fell in on the other side.
Ruggero Mannes delivered the leather on a silver platter to Glynor Plet, who easily put the 0-1 on the scoreboard. Nevertheless, Almere City continued its urge to attack unabated. Telstar was put with their backs to the wall for the remainder of the first act, but due to the lack of accuracy in the completion, the visitors kept the lead. Even after the break, Almere continued to look for the equalizer. Verheydt, Faris Hammouti and Ilias Alhaft, among others, made another contribution, but it took until the absolute final minute before the liberating hit was found. Balker, who nodded 1-1 from a free kick by Jorrit Smeets, was the celebrated man.
MVV Maastricht – Roda JC Kerkrade 2-4
In the twelfth minute, Jérôme Deom was able to push the ball into an empty goal on behalf of MVV, after the broken Rico Zeegers cleverly spread the ball: 1-0. The lead was doubled seven minutes later when Joy-Lance Mickels dribbled in from the left and hit the far corner: 2-0. MVV continued to believe in it and scored the tying goal within four minutes. Patrick Pflücke saw his sustainable low-range shot slip through the fingers of goalkeeper Mike Havekotte: 2-1.
Roda JC soon came back on the same level. MVV couldn’t get the ball out of the box, allowing Richard Jensen to extend a half-failed shot by Thijmen Goppel from close range: 2-2. Three minutes before half time, Roda completed his comeback. A long shot from Goppel landed fortunately in the feet of Fabian Serrarens, who quietly searched the far corner: 2-3. In the fiftieth minute, MVV had to continue with ten men, when Thibaut Van Acker put his studs on Serrarens’ leg. The decision came twelve minutes later thanks to Richard Jensen, who hit a corner kick from Goppel: 2-4.
Young AZ – FC Dordrecht 4-0
Although Dordrecht handed out a few pinpricks in the opening phase, it soon became clear that there was nothing to be gained for the finalist at the AFAS Training Complex. The score was opened in the 26th minute by Young AZ, when Bram Franken got the ball on the edge of the box from Yusuf Barasi and made it 1-0. Within two minutes of the opening goal, the margin was already doubled: it was Richonell Margaret who scored the 2-0. Just under ten minutes after the break, Young AZ ran even further away. After a pass from Mohamed Taabouni, Jelle Duin came face to face with goalkeeper Max van Herk, who could not prevent the U21 team from reaching 3-0. The final chord was played by Taabouni, who made the 4-0 on a pass from Zico Buurmeester.
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