After a draw against Willem II, Telstar holds a chance of Eredivisie: « I don’t know what I’m experiencing »

Rúnar Sigurgeirsson can crawl from misery. The defender of Willem II is hopelessly in the way when his keeper Thomas Didillon is moderately processed a cross. Via the Icelander the ball plunges in its own goal. It is 1-1 ten minutes after the break and Telstar lives again. And that while the Tilburgers seemed to have the game under control in the first half, after they had appeared 0-1.

The question was in advance for which team the nerves would weigh the most. SC Telstar, one of the smallest clubs from the first division, can promote for the first time in almost half a century. The seventh place and participation in the Playoffs were already an achievement in itself. ADO Den Haag and FC Den Bosch were convincingly eliminated, so that the Eredivisie is now beckoning. A banner on the stands with the text ‘What a season!’ Shows that it is actually no longer possible in Velsen-Zuid.

With Willem II there is a lot to lose. The club from Tilburg had a reasonable first half of the season, but experienced a disastrous resumption of the competition. On Saturday, Willem II was awarded to win from FC Dordrecht – It was the first victory of the calendar year 2025. The ‘field storm’ of supporters who followed was received outside of Tilburg with some scourge laughter. After all, a hurdle still had to be taken: a diptych against Telstar.

Safety

Prior to the competition, it is a lot about the highly screwed up safety measures. There is a lot of police deployment and around the stadium you can see security guards in yellow vests in many places. « Can someone explain to me the added value of the fences at the second entrance? » It is blaring by the radio of one of the many security staff outside the stadium. It is all new for the club from Velsen-Zuid; Only a taste of what will happen during actual promotion to the Eredivisie.

The measures are not for nothing. After the semi-finals of the play-offs against FC Den Bosch, won by Telstar, a few dozen supporters of both teams entered the field and hit there.

To prevent these types of scenes, the view of the branch on the stands of the home team is protected on Thursday with a black canvas. In recent days, a fence was also placed in front of the branch to keep the supporters within the profession. A small army of security guards must prevent supporters from going back to the field again.

Attack on attack

From the kick -off Willem II seems to have traveled primarily to play on the counter. Telstar tries to look for the attack and comes to a first serious chance. The cross of Mees Kaandorp cannot be cashed in by Yousseff El Kachati. After fifteen minutes of play it is suddenly 0-1 due to a goal from Ringo Meerveld, on which Willem II leans back even more and let Telstar make the game make the game.

In the second half, Telstar threatens to hesitate. With attack wave on attack wave, even after the equalizer, the team from Velsen combines smoothly and it is several times dangerous for the goal of Willem II. With every free kick or throw in the first name of club top scorer Yousseff El Kachati, with nineteen goals this season the tastemaker of Telstar is scanning. Whether his club will be promoted or not on Sunday, El Kachati seems to be sure of a place in the Eredivisie next season.

Suddenly there is the moment where the public is waiting. El Kachati is launched with a stick from Danny Bakker. He takes the ball with him and works face to face with keeper Didillion Koelbloedig: 2-1 for Telstar, with less than half an hour to play.

Many supporters will no longer sit in the stands after the goal. It won’t be? « I don’t know what I am experiencing, » a supporter shouts at his neighbor.

With the late 2-2 of substitute Emilio Kehrer, the cheers and the singing smear in the stands. It is also the final score, but on Sunday evening in Tilburg Telstar is anything but no chance.

That realization also lives among the departing audience. It could just be that the approximately five thousand supporters will not know their stadium back in a few months. Promotion to the Eredivisie would mean that Telstar must replace the artificial grass mat for natural grass. A major renovation is also needed to make the Eredivisie stadium-worthy. « Who knows what we will experience here next season, » concludes the stadium speaker. Sunday is the return in Tilburg.

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