On Thursday evening, FC Twente drew against RKC Waalwijk in the first play-off match. It ended up at 1-1 in Brabant. In the first half Douglas opened the score for FC Twente and Rick ten Voorde equalized from a penalty before the break.
FC Twente directly took the initiative in the early stages and locked the home team up in their own half. After three minutes this resulted in an opportunity for Willem Janssen. However, the midfielder headed the cross from Roberto Rosales just over. While FC Twente went on the hunt for an early opening goal, at the back they had to be alert to counter attacks from RKC. One of the counters from striker Nemeth shot onto the post. After this warning FC Twente took control again and Douglas opened the score after fifteen minutes of play (0-1). The defender himself set up the attack, after which he appeared in Jeroen Sweet’s goal area. In the second instance Douglas worked the ball inside.
The pressure on RKC Waalwijk, which played grouped, remained and a second Twente strike was in the air. Shots from Nacer Chadli and Leroy Fer could have helped FC Twente to a new goal, but midway through the first half RKC levelled it. Dwight Tiendalli fouled in the ‘sixteen’ and from eleven metres out, Rick ten Voorde made maximum use of this situation (1-1). A set-back for FC Twente but Steve McClaren’s team kept on playing dominating football and ensuring turmoil in the Brabant defence.
Where FC Twente controlled the game in the first half, after halftime the team had to contend with a much more keenly playing RKC Waalwijk. The home club continually managed to get the better, resulting in FC Twente not being able to create as much danger in the Brabant defence as before the break. Real dangerous moments in front of Sander Boschker’s goal also failed to appear, though after an hour of play, FC Twente was lucky that an effort from Nemeth just went past in front of the goal. Luuk the Young, who was sick for a few days this week, was replaced by Glynor Plet after an hour.
In the last part of the match both teams went looking for the winning goal, but couldn’t create any finished opportunities. The best possibilities were for RKC Waalwijk, but two interventions from Sander Boschker prevented a goal. With Quincy Promes coming on for Leroy Fer, FC Twente wanted to put more pressure forward but RKC kept their back lines tightly closed and there was no more scoring.