Telstar, the cuddly cult club from Velsen-Zuid, is out of nowhere in the Eredivisie

When Mees Kaandorp, attacker at Telstar, is changed fifteen minutes before time, his grin is clearly visible. One by one he is thanked by staff members and fellow players. With two goals, Kaandorp made the difference in the most important match that his club Telstar played in decades. The club from Velsen-Zuid returns to the Eredivisie due to a victory over Willem II after 47 years of absence.

In the last season at the highest level, Louis van Gaal was still player of Telstar and the Orange had only lost one World Cup final. Sunday’s victory is the award in a dream season led by coach Anthony Correia, born in Paramaribo. He himself played more than 350 matches at the club from the IJmond.

The promotion of Telstar means the relegation of Willem II. Prior to the game, the Tilburg supporters still seem to believe in it, despite the bad shape that the club is in – Willem II only won one game in 2025. Optimism can be tasted on Sunday afternoon at the Berlin Café on the road to the stadium, where there is a pleasant bustle.

But after six minutes the vulnerability at Willem II is visible. Telstar attacker Kaandorp is completely released by the defense and can easily shoot the 0-1 in the short corner.

Another six minutes later Telstar knows how to turn a quick attack into a goal for the second time. With a beautiful pre-assist, right wing defender Tyrese Noslin sends the depth in the direction of Thomas Diddilon-Hödl for two men. Kaandorp releases club top scorer Youssef El Kachati who walks into the ball: 0-2.

Five minutes later Willem II hits back. One changed direction of Rob Nizet changed behind Telstar keeper Ronald Koeman Jr. – The son of. Willem II knows how to become dangerous more often. When the creative Ringo Meerveld gets it on its hips in the 29th minute, his shot ends up on the bar via a Telstar defender. And yet the fear in the back can be seen again when Telstar shifts the game again a few minutes later with a quick outbreak. It is that the normally so technically gifted El Kachati seems to have a fight with the ball, otherwise the next Telstar goal was a fact.

EXTASE FACTION

At the start of the second half, Telstar is better – and that in particular El Kachati. He once breaks out about the left with which he creates a chance. Moments later he decides to shoot himself from a great distance, with which he forces Diddilon-Hödl to a difficult rescue. In the 58th minute, Telstar rewards itself as Kaandorp heads a corner at the second post, 1-3. A short check by the video arbitrator ensures that the branch becomes twice in ecstasy.

In an ultimate attempt to return to the game, Willem II and Kyan Vaesen brings an extra striker, but he does not come to much more than a simple shot in the hands of keeper Koeman.

In the last fifteen minutes, Willem II cannot shoot much more than long balls in the hope that there will be a chance. While the hope for large parts of the stands seems to have disappeared, the players are trying to play football hastily. That is at the expense of all the care. Telstar does not have to do anything more than calm down the minutes, to win the occasional time and shoot the ball as far as possible the Tilburg half.

After the last whistle, the Telstar players storm towards the branch, but they have to restrain themselves if they are pelted with cups from the surrounding courses with the hard core of Willem II. Only half an hour later the players can celebrate the promotion with their supporters. Coach Correia and Kaandorp are thanked in detail. Telstar, the cuddly cult club from Velsen-Zuid, is out of nowhere in the Eredivisie.

‘Marsh of the after competition’

The proverbial ‘swamp of the after competition’ has swallowed up many premier league clubs in recent years. In the last ten years, only two clubs have managed to survive the play-offs to survive promotion and relegation. Willem II did it himself in 2016, and Roda JC succeeded a year later. Since the number seventeen of the Eredivisie immediately relegated, and only the number sixteen enters the after competition, it has not even been possible to avoid relegation.

From the next season the set -up of the after competition will be different. This makes the route to enforcement for the number sixteen of the Eredivisie shorter. In the future, that club flows directly into the final, so that only one opponent has to be defeated for enforcement at the highest level. The adjustment is late for Willem II. And who knows, it might yield an extended stay at the highest level for Telstar.

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