Volendam back in enforcement race after victory over RKC

NOS Voetbal•yesterday, 6:42 PM•Adjusted yesterday, 10:25 PM

View the summary of FC Volendam – RKC Waalwijk

FC Volendam is back in the battle for enforcement in the Premier League. The team of coach Regillio Simons won 3-2 against fellow relegation candidate RKC Waalwijk and climbed over Vitesse to seventeenth place in the Premier League.

Next week a new confrontation with a competitor awaits Volendam. Volendam then visits number sixteen Excelsior. With a win in Kralingen, Volendam will be equal in points with Excelsior.

NOS

FC Volendam had seemed on the verge of death for a while, but with three draws in the previous four matches, the eel villagers regained some confidence, especially because their competitors Vitesse, Excelsior and RKC are not exactly in great shape.

Double hit Mühren

In the absence of the injured Vivaldo, club top scorer Robert Mühren was given a chance at striker and that turned out to be a golden move. After a through ball from Darius Johnson, the 34-year-old Mühren shot diagonally into the far corner in the 14th minute.

A little while later it happened again. After a cross from Oskar Buur from the right, Mühren put his heel back wonderfully, Robin Maulun bumped into goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen, but Mühren was alert for the rebound.

It was Mühren’s eighth goal of the season, a personal record in the Premier League. The veteran was even close to a hat-trick in the first half, but his header from a Brian Plat cross ended up on the top of the crossbar.

Mühren expects a new starting spot after two goals: ‘If I stay intact’

RKC played a lousy first half, but came back into the match after the break. Substitute Reuven Niemeijer, who had already come into the team for Yassin Oukili in the 36th minute, was given a free pass and scored the tying goal in the 55th minute.

Gel look maker Kramer

Three minutes later it was level. Mats Seuntjens passed Buur, passed and Michiel Kramer stood in front of the goal to finish. Referee Serdar Gözübüyük and the VAR did not judge a preceding handball by Seuntjens as punishable, probably because it was considered a natural body movement.

Volendam has already lost four games this Premier League season in which the team defended a lead, but this time it was different. The home team remained standing, Benaissa Benamar headed onto the post and after a long throw-in from Josh Flint, Johnson scored to make it 3-2.

For another fifteen minutes, Volendam had to defend its coveted lead. RKC substitute David Min hit the crossbar with a free kick, but coach Henk Fraser’s team did not get any further. There was a party at De Dijk after the first victory in 2024. RKC awaited a sad retreat.