Netherlands: Bloemendaal Misunderstanding Earns Rotterdam Win in Topper

The men of Rotterdam made their first big blow this season this season. They won the Strange topper against Bloemendaal 4-2 at home, after spilling points against Pinoké (2-2) on Sunday. As a result, Rotterdam has four points after two rounds, one more than Bloemendaal.

It was strange. Bizarre. And a bit incredible. Four minutes before the time, Rotterdam-Bloemendaal seemed to go to a 2-2 draw. There were hardly any opportunities in Q4. That changed completely when Jasper Brinkman was allowed to contact the ball. The defender touched the ball lightly. Seemed to prepare it for a teammate. But Guus Jansen grabbed the ball away from the Bloemendaal defense and shot hard with his backhand, making it 3-2.

Bloemendaal was furious and upset. Thijs van Dam scored the 4-2 just after that, from a corner that was rejected. He celebrated as his team had just become champions. He went crazy.

There was a reason for that.

Because Rotterdam had a bad year. They only finished fifth because they only won half of their games. In the first half of the season they lost seven games and could not recover from a weak phase at the beginning of March or early April. The EHL also turned out to be a disappointment: even there, third place was anything but the goal.

The 0-1 that was too fast for the clock

Of course the departure of club icon Jeroen Hertzberger was impossible to absorb. But without their figurehead, Rotterdam still flows of quality. They have no fewer than six internationals, an orange goalkeeper in goal and an excellent corner with Pepijn van der Heijden. These weapons make Rotterdam a title candidate again.

And the team of Erik van Driel underlined that on Thursday evening for his own crowd and he won his first major game in the competition since 22 March. They also defeated Bloemendaal: 4-3, in a match where three goals fell within fifteen minutes. Today the start of Rotterdam was just as awkward as a traffic jam on the Van Brienenoord bridge.

The stadium clock was not even switched on when the 0-1 was already on stage. It fell after just 23 seconds, from the first attack of the sparrows. The corner was dragged in by Teun Beins, by the Legguards of Derk Meijer.

Photo: Willem Vernes

Shortly thereafter he saw his disbelief how Bloemendaal’s second corner, initiated by a beautiful solo by Lucas Veen, also resulted in a goal. Again, it was Beins who pushed hard, this time in the roof of the goal. It made sure that for the second time within ten minutes I am not -cheerful from ‘Ko brothers echoed through the stadium. Indeed, the regular song played in Rotterdam after a goal.

That number – not necessarily recommended by the way – still called in the ears of the Hertzberger stands, of course a tribute to the finished club hero of Rotterdam. The home team became a bit brighter in the second quarter after a very tame start. There were opportunities for Tjep Hoedemakers – on Bloemendaal -goalman Visser – and Joaquin Menini, who shot wide in a promising position. Four minutes before the break, the work ethics of the home team was rewarded, by Hoedemakers who awarded good pursuit work by Steijn van Heeuwningen with the deserved draw.

Photo: Willem Vernes

The other face of Rotterdam

Rotterdam played on Thursday without Olivier Hortensius. The European championship player suffered an ankle injury during the last weekend of the ABN Cup. He also saw how his team grew in the competition. Two corners of Pepijn van der Heijden before the rest became unused. His younger brother Timme forced a goal in just after the break. It was a phase in which suddenly everything worked for Rotterdam, which showed a completely different face than in the first colorless ten minutes.

That dominance was roughly broken by two sudden and great opportunities for Bloemendaal: Jasper Brinkman pushed a corner against the stick of the Rotterdam -line stop, a minute later the Belgian talent Max hit the post for longer. It waited for the climax of the entertaining topper. Another explosion or inspiration. One last convulsion on Thursday evening.

So that came after all. Especially because of that weird moment at the head of the circle at Bloemendaal, who heralded the victory of Rotterdam.