FC Volendam secured three important points at home on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over FC Den Bosch. Captain Henk Veerman opened the scoring in the 53rd minute with a spectacular overhead kick, before Reuven Niemeijer sealed the win eleven minutes later.
Erwin van de Looi's side dominated the first half but failed to convert their chances. At halftime, the coach made an immediate tactical change, replacing Alex Plat with Kayden Wolff to play as an out-and-out left winger. The switch paid off. Veerman turned a Wolff cross into something special. "I couldn't do much else. I was happy it went in like that, it was a nice goal," said the top scorer, who now has eight goals in six appearances this season. "You need a little bit of luck, because it could also fly out of the stadium."
Calm and stability
The second goal came from a set piece, a welcome variation according to Van de Looi. The coach was impressed by his captain. "It's sometimes very special what Henk does. Henk can make something out of nothing. To score a goal like that is very special." The strike brought relief after a period of inconsistent performances.
Goalkeeper Hidde Jurjus, who made his return to the starting lineup, was one of the happiest men on the pitch. He provided the required calm and kept a clean sheet. "The past few weeks were disappointing for me. So you naturally hope for this scenario this morning. I was very happy with it," Jurjus reacted. He lavished praise on his captain. "I said to Henk: I think this is the most beautiful goal I have ever seen live on the pitch."
Position in the standings
With this win, FC Volendam sits in 11th place in the Eerste Divisie, with nine points from six matches. The team has scored sixteen goals and conceded ten. Recent form has been mixed with three wins and two losses in the last five games. The full standings can be found here.
After the goals, Van de Looi made further substitutions. Mawouna Amevor replaced Erik Schouten, Déron Payne came on for Mike Kleijn, and later Frederik Ihler and Younes Jaber El Meftahi took the places of Niemeijer and Veerman. The team comfortably held onto the lead and faced no further danger.
FC Volendam's next assignment is an away match against NAC Breda on December 6th. The squad's availability can be tracked on the squad page. The victory over Den Bosch provides a confidence boost for that important phase of the season, where the team aims to close in on the top half of the table.
First reported at FC Volendam
