Heracles champion first division – Siem de Jong confident in farewell match
NOS Football––Customized
In this liveblog, we look ahead to the national and international soccer weekend.
liveblog closed
Some more mood shots from Almelo
-
Pro shots
-
Pro shots
-
Pro shots
PEC striker Lennart Thy has become top scorer of the first division. He brought his total to 23 goals tonight, staying ahead of Dylan Vente (21 goals).
SV Darmstadt back in Bundesliga after six years
Once again German news. SV Darmstadt 98 returns to the highest level after six years thanks to a 1-0 win over FC Magdeburg.
Flekken with Freiburg still in race for Champions League
Mark Flekken recorded a 2-0 victory over VFL Wolfsburg with SC Freiburg this evening. This keeps the Orange international’s team in the race for a Champions League ticket. To do so, it needs to finish fourth.
Freiburg, with one more game, has as many points as Union Berlin and one point less than RB Leipzig.
The final standings after 38 rounds of play
So Heracles and PEC are already sure of a spot in the premier league.
The numbers three through eight of the first division, together with the number sixteen of the premier league, will decide in the playoffs who will also play in the highest league in the Netherlands next season.
The top eight
| Points | +/- | |
| 1. Heracles Almelo | 85 | 103-42 |
| 2. PEC Zwolle | 85 | 99-43 |
| 3. Almere City | 70 | 58-41 |
| 4. William II | 68 | 68-40 |
| 5. MVV Maastricht | 59 | 65-65 |
| 6. NAC Breda | 59 | 64-64 |
| 7. VVV-Venlo | 58 | 56-51 |
| 8. FC Eindhoven | 58 | 58-54 |
All of tonight’s results
Results playing round 38 first division
| Heracles Almelo | Young Ajax | 2-0 |
| Helmond Sport | PEC Zwolle | 2-3 |
| Almere City | MVV Maastricht | 1-0 |
| The Graafschap | FC Den Bosch | 3-0 |
| FC Dordrecht | TOP Oss | 2-2 |
| Young AZ | ADO Den Haag | 0-2 |
| Young FC Utrecht | VVV-Venlo | 1-1 |
| Young PSV | FC Eindhoven | 1-1 |
| Roda JC Kerkrade | Willem II | 2-2 |
| Telstar | NAC Breda | 2-1 |
Heracles champion of the first division
Heracles Almelo became champions of the first division with a 2-0 victory over Jong Ajax. John Lammers and his men are buried by spectators running onto the field.
PEC Zwolle no longer seems to be champion, but still manages to win from Helmond Sport. Sven Zitman shoots the ball in just before the end of the match.
There is also football again in Almelo. Assistant coach Hendrie Krüzen and director Nico-Jan Hoogma addressed the fans. There is certainly no grim atmosphere. After all, Heracles is leading 2-0.
Intervals
Heracles Almelo – Jong Ajax (2-0)
Final score: Helmond Sport – PEC Zwolle (2-3)
Heracles match resumed
Football is also resuming in Almelo. Assistant coach Hendrie Krüzen and director Nico-Jan Hoogma addressed the fans. There is certainly no grim atmosphere. After all, Heracles is leading 2-0.
Intervals
Heracles Almelo – Jong Ajax (2-0)
Helmond Sport – PEC Zwolle (2-2)
That was it for Siem de Jong
Meanwhile, De Graafschap – FC Den Bosch did play football again. Just before that, Siem de Jong left the field for the last time. A real guard of honor was formed for him. His family members also stood along the line.
-
Pro shots
-
Pro shots
-
Pro shots
Heracles match halted after goal
Heracles Almelo takes a 2-0 lead against Jong Ajax. The title is getting a lot closer. However, the joy is so great that joy beer is thrown on the field. And the KNVB has not allowed that since a few weeks. So the match of the future champion is also stopped.
Lucas Schoofs was Heracles’ second goal scorer.
Intervals
Heracles Almelo – Jong Ajax (2-0)
Helmond Sport – PEC Zwolle (2-2)
So is this really Advocaat’s last?
Siem de Jong is not the only one saying goodbye tonight. Dick Advocaat is playing his last game as trainer with ADO Den Haag against Jong AZ. At least, that’s what he says.
Advocaat is saying goodbye on unfamiliar ground. He has not coached a game at the AZ training complex before. ADO is leading 1-0 against AZ’s second team.
ADO’s fans have some nice things in store for Advocaat.
Will it be exciting after all? PEC Zwolle equalizes against Helmond Sport. Lennart Thy makes his second.
Intervals
Heracles Almelo – Jong Ajax (1-0)
Helmond Sport – PEC Zwolle (2-2)
Den Bosch fans throw a spanner in De Jong’s party
And there’s yet another match being shut down. Den Bosch fans throw fireworks on the field, so it’s back to clearing. So the maker of both goals, Siem de Jong, is also allowed inside. De Graafschap is ahead 2-0.
45 minutes of soccer left in KKD this season
Keuken Kampioen divisie season 2022-2023 is almost over. There is still 45 minutes of soccer to be played on all fields. The playoffs still follow, of course.
From championship fever to championship race. Heracles is in pole position for the championship in the first division.
The Heracles are ahead themselves after a difficult start against Jong Ajax, while PEC is behind after a good start against Helmond Sport.
Standings
Heracles Almelo – Jong Ajax (1-0)
Helmond Sport – PEC Zwolle (2-1)
Candle extinguishes dream PEC
There he is again. Dennis Kaars. He scored his second goal against PEC Zwolle. The Zwolle players are now 2-1 behind against Helmond Sport. The title is suddenly far away for PEC.
Things are now very different again. Martijn Kaars equalizes on behalf of Helmond Sport against PEC, while Heracles takes the lead against Jong Ajax. Samuel Armenteros shoots the Almeloërs back to first place.
Standings
Heracles Almelo – Jong Ajax (1-0)
Helmond Sport – PEC Zwolle (2-1)
Siem de Jong scores second goal in farewell match
For Ajacans, Siem de Jong is forever linked with the date May 15. He then scored twice in the championship match against Twente (3-1), giving the Amsterdammers their third star on their chest.
De Jong will also have warm feelings about May 19. After all, he has already scored two goals so far in his last game as a professional soccer player. De Jong’s goals put De Graafschap ahead 2-0.
Black smoke at the ‘climate neutral’ match between FC Dordrecht and Top Oss. We have not yet been able to verify whether what rises from the Top Oss box meets environmental standards.
Things are very different now. Martijn Kaars equalizes on behalf of Helmond Sport against PEC, while Heracles takes the lead against Jong Ajax. Samuel Armenteros shoots the Almeloërs back to first place.
Standings
Heracles Almelo – Jong Ajax (1-0)
Helmond Sport – PEC Zwolle (1-1)
PEC takes the lead and, because Heracles has not yet scored, is now the virtual champion, Lennart Thy kicks in for the blue-fingers.
First climate-neutral match in first division
A first in Dordrecht. There, FC Dordrecht and TOP Oss will play the first climate-neutral match of the season. This means, among other things, that the players and fans will go to the stadium on foot, by bicycle or by electric vehicle.
-
Pro shots
-
Pro shots
-
Pro shots
Title fever in Almelo and Zwolle
Heracles Almelo and PEC Zwolle have already been promoted to the Eredivisie, but are surely still playing for something tonight.
Both teams can still become champions of the Keuken Kampioen Division. Heracles and PEC both have 82 points. The Heracles do have a better goal difference. PEC needs to make up a difference of four goals to become definitive first.
Heracles plays at home against Jong Ajax. PEC visits Helmond Sport.
Because Heracles has the best papers, the bowl is in Almelo.
Four points deduction for Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic starts next season in League One, the third tier in England, with a deficit. The club will receive a four-point deduction for failing to pay salaries this month.
Wigan, which finished bottom in the Championship this season, already received a three-point deduction in March for the same reason and was penalized in June, July and October for late payment of salaries.
Moreover, if things go wrong again next year, Wigan will receive another four point deduction.
Cillessen retains starting place at NEC
Jasper Cillessen remains first choice under the crossbar at NEC. The goalkeeper, who made a number of mistakes in recent games, held talks with coach Rogier Meijer this week.
Meijer: “I have not seriously considered passing Jasper. I still have confidence in his qualities. He is in a difficult phase, he has said so himself, and he has to get through that. The best medicine is to keep on playing goalie and to reach your level. You cannot convince someone with words that the uncertainty is gone. You have to show that on the pitch and Jasper is going to do that.”
Emmen is ‘between hope and fear’
FC Emmen has two games left to bid farewell to sixteenth place, which means playing in the nacompetition. The club is also dependent for that on the results of Excelsior, which has one point more.
“The coach is also between hope and fear,” said Dick Lukkien, who takes on Feyenoord with Emmen on Sunday. “But I do have a lot of confidence, because I have faith in what we are doing together.”
Groningen situation hurts Lukkien
Lukkien won’t be in the premier league next season anyway. He leaves for the already relegated FC Groningen. “The way things are going in the north now is not nice. Especially when you start working at Groningen, it does something to you.”
On questions about the problems at his new club, Lukkien does not yet answer. “I have resolved not to say so much about that, because I am now an employee of Emmen. So questions about that I will answer at a later time.”
Slot finds new Mourinho success ‘incredibly clever’
While Slot skillfully parried all questions about his own future, he did briefly address the success of AS Roma, the team that knocked Feyenoord out of the Europa League last month, during his press conference.
Roma have secured a final place under the leadership of José Mourinho. Around their meeting in the quarter-finals, Mourinho and Slot were verbally at loggerheads.
Slot praises Mourinho after new final: ‘Can only appreciate’
Ten Hag wants CL ticket, City can take title
Ahead of the denouement in the Premier League, Erik ten Hag has reiterated the importance of finishing in the top four. “When I look at this project, it is important to secure Champions League soccer,” the Manchester United coach said the day before the away game with Bournemouth.
United is in fourth place with three games to go. Number five Liverpool have one less point, but have played one more game.
Decision in title race imminent
Otherwise, Pep Guardiola’s team can decide it themselves a day later by winning at home against Chelsea.
‘PSV interested in Groningen striker Pepi’
The Eindhovens Dagblad reports that PSV is preparing a bid for 20-year-old striker Ricardo Pepi, who is being rented by Augsburg to FC Groningen this season.
The German club would like ten to eleven million euros for the American international. At already relegated Groningen, Pepi stood out in a positive sense, including scoring twelve goals.
FC Twente wants to secure spot five without Pröpper and with Hilgers
FC Twente wants to secure fifth place in the Eredivisie on Sunday without Robin Pröpper. The suspended Pröpper will be replaced in the away match against RKC Waalwijk by Mees Hilgers, who has just regained his fitness.
“It will be an interesting match. Last season we won by a goal in injury time from Dimitris Limnios and winning again is the task now. RKC has a very nice team and we have to be good in ball possession again, just like against NEC,” said coach Ron Jans.
Arjen Robben turns up at Bayern Munich
Volendam is sorting in advance
FC Volendam has firmly announced a “cheering moment” for when the club secures another season of premier league soccer next Sunday.
Volendam is 14th and has five points more than Emmen, which is 16th. A win in the away match with Go Ahead Eagles will secure coach Wim Jonk’s team. With any other result, it depends on the results of Excelsior and Emmen.
So possibly a party with the supporters awaits on Sunday. Now to actually secure that retention for a while….
Slot does not reveal anything about the future
Although British journalists are present in the room, Feyenoord coach Arne Slot is still unwilling to give any definite details about his personal future during his press conference. He has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur and is said to have already held talks.
“We are sitting here for next Sunday’s game. We are not sitting here to talk about my future,” Slot said Friday. “So it could be that those English journalists are disappointed and go home with their tails between their legs.”
Slot releases nothing about future: ‘Choose to say as little as possible’
Van Nistelrooij calls second place ‘vital’
PSV can secure second place this weekend at home against Heerenveen. A win over the Frisians will suffice.
Coach Ruud van Nistelrooij called spot two, which entitles participation in the preliminary rounds of the Champions League, “vital” for PSV during his press conference.
If the Eindhoven natives managed to qualify for the main tournament, they could already count on some thirty million euros in premiums.
Furthermore, Van Nistelrooij did not want to anticipate things yet. “We should not talk yet about things that are not there yet,” he said.
AZ broods on measures after riots
Eenhoorn: “We first want to have all the facts and information in order. We won’t let this go over our head. When we have gathered all the information, then we are going to respond in different ways. But I’m not going to anticipate that right now.”
AZ will hold talks with the mayor and police of Alkmaar and the Public Prosecutor’s Office next week. A police spokesman announced earlier today that no arrests have yet been made.
Slot remains on radar at Spurs
Rumors of a possible transfer of Feyenoord coach Arne Slot to Tottenham Hotspur are becoming increasingly persistent.
Sky Sports reports that “positive” talks have already taken place between the two parties in the meantime. Slot has long been mentioned as one of the candidates to start work in London next summer.
Brits see ‘awful scenes’ and praise ‘Knollsy’
The United Kingdom has seen an outraged reaction to the post-AZ-West Ham United riots. British media describe how players tried to intervene to protect their family members.
Special attention is being paid to the West Ham supporter known as “Knollsy. Video footage on Twitter shows him single-handedly stopping a horde of AZ fans.
Dortmund misses Bellingham in penultimate game
The Bundesliga could see the decision in the championship battle this weekend. Bayern Munich leads with a point more than Borussia Dortmund.
A win by Bayern, which hosts RB Leipzig on Saturday, and a defeat by Dortmund, which visits Augsburg a day later, would settle the matter.
Dortmund will likely have to do without star player Jude Bellingham on Sunday. The young Englishman does not seem to have recovered in time from a knee injury.
Last field player Ferguson era leaves Manchester United
Phil Jones will leave Manchester United next summer. The 31-year-old central defender, who has been dogged by injuries in recent years, has an expiring contract.
Jones played 229 duels for the club in 12 seasons. This season he has not yet been in action for coach Erik ten Hag’s team due to injury.
Jones’ departure makes goalkeeper David de Gea the only player from Sir Alex Ferguson’s era left at United.
Premier League denouement: all the stakes in a row
Two more rounds of play and then the 2022/2023 premier league season is over. The champion and direct relegators are known, but otherwise there are still plenty of clubs playing for something.
Second place is still at stake, as is the last ticket for the European playoffs. It is also not yet clear which club will go to the nacompetition.
Who takes title in first division?
Heracles Almelo and PEC Zwolle are already sure of promotion to the premier league, but both clubs are still fighting for the title in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. The final round of play is tonight.
Heracles, which hosts Jong Ajax, has the best papers. The Almeloans have as many points as PEC, but a slightly better goal difference (a difference of four goals).
The club from Zwolle will visit Helmond Sport and must therefore hope for a misstep by Heracles.
No arrests after AZ riots
Police have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the disturbances at AZ last night. Subsequent arrests are not ruled out by police.
“We are going to look at images to see if any offenses were committed and if we can identify individuals,” a spokesman said.
KNVB wants World Cup 2027, dip in popularity
Soccer Association KNVB, along with its counterparts in Belgium and Germany, applied some time ago to host the women’s World Cup in 2027.
Women’s soccer has been on the rise in the Netherlands for a number of years, but lately its popularity seems to be waning a bit. Read more here.
Gijs de Jong, secretary general of the KNVB, explains how the Netherlands hopes to join Belgium and Germany in hosting the Women’s World Cup.
KNVB hopes to win 2027 World Cup with Belgium and Germany: ‘Want to reach whole world’
All in all, it is an excellent week for Italian soccer.
Both the Champions League (Internazionale), Europa League (AS Roma) and Conference League (Fiorentina) finals feature a club from Italy.
West Ham meets Fiorentina, AS Roma against Sevilla
AZ is thus missing from the Conference League final. West Ham United will take on Fiorentina in Prague on June 7.
The Italians were too strong for FC Basel after an extension: 1-3. The Swiss had won the outward match in Florence 1-2.
AZ semi-final ends with brawl
After AZ’s painful elimination, the match in Alkmaar received an ugly tailspin. Supporters stormed the main stand, which included family members of West Ham players.
“I still jumped between them,” Eenhoorn told me. “This did not go well and ultimately I am ultimately responsible. Internally we are going to talk about this, because it all went very fast with me, too.”
Back to last night: AZ doesn’t make it
Soccer-loving Alkmaar woke up this morning with a hangover. AZ failed to qualify for the Conference League final last night.
In an exciting match, the Alkmaarders failed to bring West Ham United to their knees. Read the match report here.
Watch below the reactions of AZ coach Pascal Jansen, Pantelis Hatzidiakos and Tijjani Reijnders to the European elimination.
Schedule and standings in the premier league
As always, the games in the 33rd round of the premier league all begin at 2:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
PSV can finally seize second place this weekend, which is good for entry into the preliminary rounds of the Champions League.
If the Eindhovenians win at home against Heerenveen, it’s done. If that fails, Ajax can grab the final straw.
-
NOS
The program in playing round 33 -
NOS
The standings in the premier league
Welcome to this liveblog where we will keep you updated on the latest news and other developments leading up to the soccer weekend.
In the premier league, the penultimate round of play is on the program. Feyenoord are sure of the championship, but there is still plenty to play for.
How are Excelsior and Emmen, the clubs looking to avoid the nacompetition, doing? Which club still qualifies for the European playoffs? And will PSV secure second place this weekend?
