SC Cambuur and FC Groningen seemed to be heading for a draw for a long time on Sunday afternoon during the first day of play in the Eredivisie. Both clubs kept each other nicely in balance, until substitute Jörgen Strand Larsen gave the visitors from Groningen the victory in injury time. The Norwegian striker produced a fabulous bicycle kick and left Sonny Stevens no chance in the top right corner. While assistant coach Adrie Poldervaart stormed the field, Strand Larsen remained calm.
“I thought I was coming back from offside and then didn’t know what was happening in front of or behind me,” Strand Larsen said after the game in front of the cameras. ESPN. Referee Allard Lindhout, together with the video referee, needed a moment to judge the goal and approved it not much later. “Everyone was really cheering, but I was like, shut up. Soon it won’t be a goal, with the VAR you never know. There were so many people around me… in the end this was the only option. It’s a FIFA goal. The most beautiful I’ve made in my career. Not normal.”
Strand Larsen was surprisingly not in the starting lineup against Cambuur and saw the striker position being filled by Michael de Leeuw, who managed to come out of the preparation as first choice. The Norwegian was brought in by Buijs twenty minutes before time for Ahmed El Messaoudi and immediately proved his worth. “That’s how it is sometimes”, Strand Larsen continues. “Of course I wasn’t happy about it. I’m working hard to get back into the team. This is a good way to show it.”
Despite the crucial role of Strand Larsren, Buijs does not regret the decision to let his pupil start on the bench against Cambuur. “I support my choice to let him start on the bench,” the winning coach said afterwards. “Jörgen has qualities, but we want him to add more depth to his game. The competition up front allows me to make choices from game to game and now it didn’t fall for him.”