The men of HGC miraculously won against Bloemendaal on Saturday afternoon. Although De Mussen were masters on their own field and had plenty of scoring opportunities, after the second semi-final in the play-offs, the scoreboard was still 1-3. That means that both teams will have to play an all-deciding third game tomorrow with the stakes being a spot in the final.
The home team was entirely to blame for the fact that not Bloemendaal but HGC stepped off the field with smiling faces. The reigning national champion should have decided the game before the break.
That it was only 1-0 after 35 minutes is a miracle. Before and after Jorrit Croon’s opening goal (a tip-in), Bloemendaal had plenty of opportunities to score. For example, attacker Yannick van der Drift saw a tip-in strand on two occasions and Roel Bovendeert was unable to convert a lightning-fast breakout into a goal: he pushed against HGC goalkeeper Sam van der Ven.
No success from the corner
De Mussen’s penalty corner did not yield any returns in that phase, although that also had to do with the excellent defensive work on the goal line. Successively Marc Serrehima and Seve van Ass made wonderful saves on the shots of Tim Swaen and Florian Fuchs.
one way street
After the break, not much changed in the game picture: at ‘t Kopje the one-way traffic continued and HGC largely ran behind the facts, the ball and the players of the home team.
Halfway through the third quarter Jorrit Croon had the greatest chance to double the margin. From the right, he soloed around the edge of the circle and then lashed out with his backhand. The shot exploded on Van der Ven’s legguards. An action that symbolized the Bloemendaal competition. Where opportunities were never completed.
The penalty corner also continued to falter. Time and again, Tim Swaen’s drag push was defused. T0and later Floris Wortelboer also got a huge chance – his bet went right past – HGC smelled blood. In the buzzer of the third quarter.
Goal from the air
Because there he was suddenly, just before, just in or shortly after the buzzer, the equalizer of HGC. On the back line, Serrahima put the ball in front and from close by, just under the nose of Maurits Visser, Pelle Vos tapped the ball over the line. This led to fierce protests at Bloemendaal, which felt that the time for the third quarter had already passed. However, the refereed duo decided otherwise: the equalizer counted.
A disappointment that Bloemendaal was unable to overcome. The goal caused unrest. As if that wasn’t enough, just after the start of the fourth quarter it was suddenly 1-2: Marc Boltó scored from one of the few attacks by the visitors. Completely against the game image and the opportunity ratio.
The world competition of Sam van der Ven
Bloemendaal did everything he could to force the equalizer, but the sharpness in the final pass was lacking. In addition, Sam van der Ven kept a world competition. He always had an answer to the barrage of shots.
With just under three minutes left on the clock, Bloemendaal coach Rick Mathijssen pulled keeper Visser to the side. Cunningly, HGC took advantage of the opportunities this offered: during one of the outbreaks, striker Alan Forsyth made it 1-3 in a co-production with Floris van der Kroon. With that, everyone at ‘t Kopje knew that a third game should bring the decision on Sunday.
Bloemendaal – HGC 1-3 (1-0)
14. Jorrit Croon 1-0
53. Pelle Vos 1-1
55. Marc Boltó 1-2
68. Floris van der Kroon 1-3
