Sunday, December 5, 2021 at 2:14 PM• Chris Meijer • Last update: 14:24

Roy Kuijpers has made a dream debut in the Eredivisie. The 21-year-old attacker was taken over by RKC Waalwijk from FC Den Bosch last week, where he played on an amateur basis. Kuijpers took the winning goal on Sunday afternoon in the home game against NEC, which meant that RKC eventually won 2-1. Thanks to the victory, the Waalwijkers rise to fourteenth place in the Eredivisie, while NEC is stuck in eleventh place.

The fact that the match was broken open after sixteen minutes was partly due to Etienne Vaessen. The goalkeeper let a corner kick from Souffian El Karouani slip out of his hands, so that Jordy Bruijn got the ball in front of an open goal and RKC fell behind despite a stronger initial phase. Vaessen intervened adequately after a header from Ali Akman. The fact that RKC deservedly equalized after half an hour of play was partly the result of fumbling in the defense of NEC.

Iván Márquez and El Karouani did not intervene sufficiently, which Jens Odgaard could take advantage of by shooting the equalizer against the ropes in the far corner. Almost immediately afterwards, NEC goalkeeper Mattijs Branderhorst had to save a shot by Lennerd Daneels and Odgaard’s rebound, although the latter was offside. Just before half time, NEC had a life-size chance to take the lead again. Elayis Tavsan delivered the ball in front of the goal after a good play, but Magnus Mattsson worked the leather with his chest wide.

The second half had fewer highlights than the first company. Both goalkeepers had to intervene twice after the break: Branderhorst managed to clamp Odgaard’s effort in two instances, while an attempt by El Karouani ended on Vaessen’s fists. Kuijpers was brought into the field as a replacement for Daneels for twenty minutes and showed himself with two dangerous shots before the winning goal. The decision was finally made in the last minute of stoppage time.

NEC was looking for the winning goal and therefore left room, which RKC took advantage of in the switch. Substitute Finn Stokkers stole the ball from Bart van Rooij, giving him a free passage towards Branderhorst. Stokkers kept an overview and put the ball wide on Kuijpers, who could determine the final score at 2-1 in front of an empty goal. Kuijpers was part of the selection of FC Den Bosch a week ago, for whom he has already scored ten times this season. Because he still played there on an amateur basis, he could be taken over by RKC immediately.