VVV-Venlo has joined the last eight of the TOTO KNVB Cup on Thursday evening. The team of trainer Hans de Koning was 1-0 too strong in-house for a brave Go Ahead Eagles by a goal from Aaron Bastiaans. Go Ahead tried in the second half, but to no avail.
VVV drew a team in shape with Go Ahead. Despite a corona outbreak at the club, the team from Deventer managed to win six of the last seven matches, but came under pressure early in the match in Venlo. After fifteen minutes of play, Yahcuroo Roemer seemed to be able to go to goalkeeper Jay Gorter on a pass from Bastiaans, but the assumption by the VVV vanguard player was not sufficient, so Gorter was able to defend. On the other hand, Jacob Mulenga was close to the opening goal on behalf of Go Ahead, but the Zambian hit the outside of the post after preparatory work by Luuk Brouwers.
The slight field predominance was converted into a lead by VVV after more than half an hour of play. Bastiaans seemed to get stuck on the edge of the box, but still got the ball in front of his left and lashed out nicely in the top left corner: 1-0. Go Ahead seemed to undo that tap a minute later via Antoine Rabillard, but his header could be turned into a corner by goalkeeper Delano van Crooy. In the initial phase after the break it was Go Ahead who came out of the dressing room better, but it was Mulenga again who was unhappy in the completion. The striker headed a cross to the ground, but saw Van Crooij save with difficulty.
Go Ahead earned an equalizer on the basis of the field game in the second half, but saw Van Crooij stand in the way several times. The closing post saw Mulenga coming towards him again after three quarters of the game, but managed to keep his goal clean with the utmost effort. In the final phase, VVV recorded the last chance of the match via Jafar Arias. The striker got the ball on a silver platter, but headed over. The miss had no consequences for the result.