De Graafschap will have to win the final league match against Helmond Sport to promote to the Eredivisie. The game was halted on Wednesday-evening due to heavy rainfall, but competitor Go Ahead Eagles meanwhile won 0-1 against Excelsior and is therefore in second place, with a point ahead of De Graafschap and a much better goal difference. Go Ahead has been virtually promoted to the Eredivisie, but De Graafschap’s game seems to be resumed on Wednesday-evening. Almere City, NAC Breda, FC Volendam, NEC and Roda JC Kerkrade will enter the play-offs anyway. Champion SC Cambuur won the closing game; league top scorer Robert Mühren closed the season with 38 goals.
Excelsior – Go Ahead Eagles 0-1
The visitors had to deal with a setback after only eight minutes of play: Martijn Berden had to be replaced by Antoine Rabillard, injured. Five minutes later, Go Ahead was close to scoring when Boyd Lucassen’s long shot appeared to fly into the intersection, but the ball had just too much curve and hit the post. Towards half-time, Giannis Botos still had a big chance of an opening goal, but Alessandro Damen prevented Excelsior from falling behind with a feline save.
Excelsior got more and more out of the shell after the break and had a view of the 1-0 through Elías Már Ómarsson, but goalkeeper Jay Gorter saved. The game in Rotterdam went up and down, with a few scrimmages in the goal area of Damen and an effort from Joël Zwarts who only just went wide. Go Ahead needed a win to keep the promotion dream alive, brought Jacob Mulenga within the lines, but it was Bas Kuipers who took care of the 0-1 in the final phase with a striking header and virtually brought the visitors into the Eredivisie.
Almere City – Young PSV 1-1
Almere still had some prospect of the coveted second place. The team of trainer Jeroen Rijsdijk had to win against Young PSV and had to hope for a loss of points from both De Graafschap and Go Ahead. At halftime, however, Almere itself had not yet scored. PSV goalkeeper Mark Spenkelink prevented the home team from taking the lead in the first half with two good saves. In the second act, PSV surprisingly took the lead: Fredrik Oppegard received the ball in the penalty area from Kristófer Kristinsson and hit diagonally in the right corner. Halfway through the second half, Daniël Breedijk headed in the equalizing goal from a corner. Despite great opportunities for Almere in the final phase, it remained at 1-1, making direct promotion no longer possible. Deep in injury time, substitute Thibault Lesquoy received a direct red card, meaning Almere finished the game with ten men.
SC Cambuur – NAC Breda 3-2
After nineteen minutes of play, Cambuur seemed to take the lead via Giovanni Korte, but the linesman raised his flag because of offside. More than ten minutes later, NAC put the pressure on the competition by taking the lead in Friesland. Sydney Van Hooijdonk tapped the ball in from close range after a low cross from Robin Schouten from the back line. That was also the halftime score in Leeuwarden, while the competition failed to score a goal in the first half.
Six minutes after the interruption, Maurice Steijn’s team doubled the advantageous margin. Kaj de Rooij completed a smooth-running attack via Thom Haye: 0-2. Cambuur did not just want to be trumped and got an enormous chance to score 1-2 via Mühren, but the bet ended on the feet of goalkeeper Nick Olij. Two minutes later it was still hit: Mitchell Paulissen was able to tap in on a pass from Mühren. It was the beginning of the turnaround for Cambuur and all thanks to Mühren: the attacker signed for the 2-2 in minute 83 and three minutes later he headed in the 3-2. It was number 38 of the season for the top scorer of the Kitchen Champion Division.
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