Willem II’s Schroijen inflicts injury time agony on former team MVV
Former MVV Maastricht player Arjan Swinkels who now plays as a defender for Willem II, was left amazed after teammate Mike Tresor Rodriguez’s 96th-minute goal handed them a dramatic 2-1 victory over MVV Maastricht in the Dutch Cup. The game looked to be heading for extra time before Rodriguez’s shot rebounded off the post and back across goal, with substitute Elmo Lieftink’s goal-bound effort coming back off the bar, only for Dutch youth international, Mike Tresor to finally turn home from point-blank range to break his former team’s hearts.
Cup tie proves to be a difficult game for Willem II
Despite being a league above MVV Maastricht, it proved to be a difficult game for Willem II as they struggled to test the home goalkeeper while an excellent save from their keeper, Frederik Løvenkrands, kept them in the game at 1-0 going into the halftime break.
Tragedy for the hosts
MVV Maastricht who have not won a game in the Dutch first division, were looking to cause an upset. They took a surprising lead when another former Willem II player, Koen Kostons, curled home a 25-yard freekick past Løvenkrands. As the game drew towards its end MVV Maastricht was dreaming of holding onto the win but the opponents were relentless.
Substitutes rescue Willem II
Willem II started to pile on the pressure in the second half and sent in three substitutes in quick succession, with Paul Gladon catching the eye with his direct running. The equalizer came in the 70th minute, as a great counter-attacking move saw Che Nunnely exchange passes with Kwasi Wriedt before cleverly curling the ball into the far corner of the net.
Remarkable game for Arjan Swinkels
Arjan Swinkels who made 119 appearances for MVV Maastricht, including a year as captain, insisted he still had a lot of affection for the club. “It was a special game for me, lots of emotions,” he told the Dutch media. “I have a lot of good memories here and I am grateful to this club. It was great to be back, but a pity that there were no fans in the stadium.”
Schroijen seals the game
After years of absence, the Dutch Cup has returned and gives clubs like MVV Maastricht the chance to upset more illustrious opponents. However, the trophy’s reemergence in Dutch soccer has been disrupted by COVID-19 restrictions, which have forced games to be held behind closed doors. The final quarter of the match was a frantic affair, with both sides creating chances before Schroijen stepped up, sealing Willem II’s passage through to the second round of the Cup with a stoppage-time winner.
**Summary**
In a dramatic Dutch Cup game, Willem II defeated MVV Maastricht, with substitute Mike Tresor Rodriguez scoring the winning goal in the 96th minute of the match. The game was an emotional one for former MVV player Arjan Swinkels, who was happy to get a win against his former team. The match also highlighted the return of the Dutch Cup, albeit hindered by the strict COVID-19 restrictions. #NEWS