Hoofdklasse: Remontada Rotterdam, no winner Kampong-Amsterdam

On the second round of the Tulp Hoofdklasse Men’s competition, Rotterdam has successfully caught up. After trailing 0-2, coach Erik van Driel’s team won 4-2 against Bloemendaal in front of their own crowd on Thursday night. The top match between Kampong and Amsterdam also ended undecided (2-2). In total, no fewer than 35 goals were scored in the first part of the double weekend.

Rotterdam – Bloemendaal 4-2Meetings between Rotterdam and Bloemendaal are always goal-rich. In the last seven matches, 42 goals have been scored, an average of six per match. This time too, that average was exactly the same. Bloemendaal quickly took the lead thanks to two penalty corners by Teun Beins. Before half-time, Tjep Hoedemakers reduced the margin and Timme van der Heijden scored the equaliser. A sloppiness at the back for Bloemendaal decided the match in Rotterdam’s favour. Guus Jansen picked up the ball and popped in the 3-2. Shortly afterwards, Thijs van Dam scored the final goal from a penalty corner: 4-2.

Kampong – Amsterdam 2-2The reprise of last season’s national title final produced no winner. It finished 2-2 at the Klapperboom. Jip Janssen scored twice for Kampong, including the opening goal. For the 35th time already, he made it 1-0. This makes him the absolute ‘Mister 1-0’ in the Tulp Hoofdklasse Men. For national champions Amsterdam, Floris Middendorp and Boris Burkhardt scored. A setback for Amsterdam was the loss of Robbert Kemperman with a head injury.

HDM – Oranje-Rood 2-7HDM has never won against Oranje-Rood in the Tulp Hoofdklasse and this time too, the team from The Hague was left empty-handed. The Eindhoven team recorded a big 2-7 win in The Hague. Tijmen Reyenga opened the scoring after only two minutes from a penalty corner, after which Oranje-Rood ran out to 0-4. Through Chris Taberima (corner) and Rick van den IJssel, HDM came back, but Borja Lacalle made short work of The Hague’s hopes. In the end Oranje-Rood ran out to 2-7. With six points from two matches, coach Ageeth Boomgaardt’s team has a perfect start of the league. Together with leader Klein Zwitserland, Oranje-Rood is still without losing points. HDM remains scoreless after two rounds of play.

Hurley – Klein Zwitserland 1-2Klein Switzerland only took the full spoils from the match at Hurley in the closing stages. A minute before time, Aki Käppeler decided the match with a penalty corner. Before half-time, Chad Futcher had already put The Hague formation ahead. It was his third goal of the season for the South African. Hurley came back through Fred Newbold, who punished a sloppy wide pass. The match seemed to end in a draw, until Käppeler struck. This leaves Klein Zwitserland in the lead with six points from two matches. Hurley has zero from two.

Schaerweijde – Pinoké 1-6Promoted Schaerweijde suffered its second consecutive heavy defeat in the Tulp Hoofdklasse. After the 7-1 defeat at Klein Zwitserland last weekend, the team now went down 6-1 at home against Pinoké. Joep Troost and Miles Bukkens each scored twice, while Florent van Aubel and newcomer Thies Prinz also found the net for the Steekneuzen. Pepijn Leenhouts saved the honour for the home team with a penalty corner. Schaerweijde has now been waiting for a win in the Tulp Hoofdklasse for thirteen games.

Den Bosch – Laren 4-2After the false start last weekend against Orange-Rood (2-1 defeat), Den Bosch has recovered. It beat promoted Huizen 4-2 at home. Max Kreft and Timo Boers both scored twice. Thomas Vis and Luke Friederich scored for Laren, which won only one of its last 12 matches at the highest level. Den Bosch, meanwhile, remains ironclad at Oosterplas with six home wins in a row and an unbeaten run of 13 games.