After the topper between Rotterdam and Bloemendaal (4-2) ended, it was about only one topic. Rotterdam’s extremely curious 3-2, four minutes before time. It was all due to a misunderstanding you rarely experience on field hockey fields. A unique and fatal ball out by Jasper Brinkman led to Guus Jansen’s goal. A goal that everyone would have understood had it not been approved.
In the 56th minute of Rotterdam-Bloemendaal something strange happens. Rotterdam just shot a ball wide. Bloemendaal is allowed to take off. Jasper Brinkman of Bloemendaal runs forward with the ball, but stands very far outside. A bit nonchalantly, he wants to lay it down for teammate Wiegert Schut, who is standing behind him. With one hand he pushes the ball wide with his stick. Carelessly, without looking back. Not a pass but half a ball.
Suddenly, Rotterdam attacker Guus Jansen appears. He rushes the ball like a predator and gets to it before Schut. Brinkman has long since turned around, fully assuming that the ball will be taken out by his teammate. But it doesn’t. Jansen runs full speed into the circle and hits the ball hard with his backhand: 3-2. Schut looks on helplessly, practically waiting for the whistle to blow. That does not happen, to the dismay of Bloemendaal. They reported en masse to referee Van den Assum. He sticks to his decision, the goal counts.
It turned out to be the decision in the topper, which eventually ended in 4-2. ‘I do understand that everyone is talking about it,’ Brinkman said afterwards. He is the last to walk out of the dressing room at Bloemendaal at 10:30 p.m. on Thursday. Barely has the door closed when he is addressed by Rotterdam goalie Derk Meijer, who is also curious about what actually happened.
‘The ball went behind,’ Brinkman recalls patiently. ‘And I wanted to take it quickly. But I was pretty far from the circle edge. You have to take the ball at the head of the circle. I found out I wasn’t in the right spot. I think I was at least five meters away. Too high up the court and too far to the left.’
I think it was very clear that the ball ‘wasn’t really taken’. Everyone thought so. Except for one person. Guus. Jasper Brinkman
He has just taken a shower. His hair is still wet under his cap. Images he hasn’t seen at that moment. I wanted to put the ball back with my stick so someone else could take it. I think it was very clear that the ball ‘wasn’t really taken’. Everyone thought that. Except for one person. Guus. I give him great credit for trying. But this absolutely should not have been a goal.’
Guus Jansen storms off, Wiegert Schut looks on helplessly. Photo: Willem Vernes
‘Did he really play the ball?’
A conclusion goal scorer Jansen agrees with. ‘I wanted to shoot as quickly as possible,’ laughed the hurried striker afterwards. ‘That was to give the referee as little time as possible to reverse the situation. If I’m very honest, I would have understood if that had happened.’
Jansen is referring to Paul van den Assum, under whose eyes the curious situation happened. The referee was on top of it. ‘Jasper touched the ball a bit half-baked and plays it to the middle,’ said Van den Assum. ‘Between another Bloemendaal player and someone from Rotterdam. In the match I judged that as a pass. A poorly taken free ball. But now that I’ve seen footage, I also think: did he really play the ball? And should I have interrupted the game then? If I had made it easy on myself, I would have done the latter. That would have been the best decision.’
‘Then it’s also a question of whether you still disallowed the goal, because of that pass before that. Again, that might be going a bit far. I’m balking at this. You don’t want this moment to determine the game. And now it does.
Bloemendaal coach Van den Heuvel in conclave with referees Steven Bakker and Paul van den Assum. Photo: Willem Vernes
The discussion during the inauguration
Afterwards, this moment was of course fodder for discussion. Immediately after the final whistle Bloemendaal coach Michel van den Heuvel went to get redress from the referees. In a corner of the field they were still busy discussing the game, while around the center line the EK champions of both clubs were being honored. It was a droll sight, which suited the strange situation.
Naturally, Brinkman immediately tried to change Van den Assum’s mind. ‘We quickly went to see him, but it was pretty clear pretty quickly that this situation was not going to be reversed.’ With a sigh. ‘Next time I’ll leave the ball out. Just to be sure.’
by Hockey.nl
