Curious hat trick Romeny helps Emmen win, Van Hooijdonk new top scorer

Ole Romeny gave FC Emmen a crucial victory at sc Heerenveen (2-3) with a curious hat-trick, on an evening that for a long time seemed to be turning into a party night for Sydney van Hooijdonk and the Frisians.

But Heerenveen were presented with the bill for many missed chances in a spectacular second half, threatening to push the European playoffs further out of the picture.

Romeny scored all the Emmen goals. The first he strolled in after clever work by Jeremy Antonisse, the second after Pawel Bochniewicz shot hard against him when defending, and the third and winning after an error of judgement by goalkeeper Xavier Mous in extra time.

And so suddenly there was great emotion at Emmen, which after its third win in six games is at least for a while above the red line.

That it would come to this seemed impossible for a long time. Heerenveen was lord and master and seemed to be heading for victory after two goals from Van Hooijdonk. On a pass from Simon Olsson, he tapped in midway through the first half. Shortly after Romeny’s sudden 1-1, Van Hooijdonk remained calm when he was allowed to touch down from eleven yards.

Because Emmen seemed to throw in its own glasses when Mike te Wierik gaudily held at a corner. Even though it was the video referee who only eventually observed the foul.

With his two goals, Van Hooijdonk took over the first spot on the top scorers list from Anastasios Douvikas and Xavi Simons. And he also had the chance to run out further, but free for Mickey van der Hart he slid wide.

Heerenveen seems to be able to score only through Van Hooijdonk, who is now responsible for his club’s last eight (!) league goals. Despite Heerenveel’s shaky performance, he does get a serious chance to follow in his father Pierre’s footsteps during the league finale.

Because 21 seasons ago, Van Hooijdonk became the top scorer in the Netherlands with 24 goals for Feyenoord. Father and son are often compared. But it is often forgotten that at Sydney’s age (just turned 23) Pierre had not yet played a game at the highest level.

Thanks to junior’s fifteenth goal, at least a negative premier league record was averted, as it matched the lowest number ever scored by Cyriel Dessers and Steven Berghuis in the aborted 2019/2020 corona season.