Den Bosch Go to Oranje-Rood on Thursday Night With a Perfect Record to Protect
The women’s Hoofdklasse doesn’t wait for the weekend. There’s a full round tonight, Thursday, and then the whole thing goes again on Sunday.
Six games, all 12 teams, all at 8:30pm CET (12:30am PKT on Friday). That’s Round 9. And the headline act is the one you’d expect. Den Bosch, eight wins from eight, travel to Oranje-Rood in Eindhoven.
The leaders keep rolling
Den Bosch have been close to untouchable. Thirty-four goals scored, one conceded, six clean sheets in a row. Last Sunday they beat Rotterdam 4-0 and Frédérique Matla scored all four, which took her to 20 goals for the season after eight games. Nobody has ever scored that fast in this league.
Oranje-Rood are eighth, nine points from eight games, and they come into this one off a 2-2 draw with Pinoké. They’ve been hard to beat at home in patches this season, but hard to beat isn’t the same as beating Den Bosch. Nobody’s done that yet. If Matla scores again tonight, the record books get another rewrite before the weekend even starts.
For our money, Den Bosch win this. The only question is whether Oranje-Rood can make them work for it.
SCHC need to keep pace
Second-placed SCHC host Bloemendaal in Bilthoven. SCHC have 21 points, three behind Den Bosch, and their only defeat this season came against the leaders. They were ruthless last Sunday, winning 5-0 at HDM, with Yibbi Jansen scoring twice to reach 14 for the season and pass 150 Hoofdklasse goals for the club.
Bloemendaal are ninth on seven points. They beat bottom side Victoria 3-1 last weekend, which was a decent result, but this is a different test entirely. SCHC at home, with Jansen in this form, is about as tough as it gets in this league.
Amsterdam go to the bottom
Third-placed Amsterdam travel to Victoria, who are still without a point after eight games. Victoria have conceded 38 goals, and last weekend they lost 3-1 at Bloemendaal. Amsterdam beat HGC 4-0 last Sunday and sit on 19 points, two behind SCHC.
This one should be comfortable for the champions. The real interest for Amsterdam is what happens elsewhere. If SCHC slip up against Bloemendaal, Amsterdam can go second with a win. If Den Bosch drop points in Eindhoven, the whole top of the table tightens up overnight.
The other three games
Kampong host Pinoké in Utrecht. Kampong are sixth on 11 points after losing 3-0 at Hurley last Sunday, and Pinoké are seventh on nine after their 2-2 with Oranje-Rood. Neither side can afford to lose this one. Kampong have the goals in them, with Iris de Kemp on 10 for the season, all of them from open play, but they’ve been wobbling.
Hurley, fourth on 15 points, host HGC, who are 11th on three. Hurley beat Kampong 3-0 last weekend and look the form side outside the top three. HGC have won once all season.
And Rotterdam host HDM. Rotterdam are fifth on 14 points, HDM tenth on six. Rotterdam have drawn their last few and need a win to stay in touch with the top four. HDM lost 5-0 at home to SCHC last Sunday and need something to stop the slide.
Then Sunday comes straight round
There’s no rest. Round 10 follows on Sunday, and the big one is Amsterdam against SCHC at the Wagener Stadium, second against third. Den Bosch host Kampong the same day. We’ve already previewed the Amsterdam v SCHC game on the site, and that one could decide who goes into the winter break as Den Bosch’s closest challenger.
But first, tonight. Six games, one evening, and a perfect record on the line in Eindhoven.
Round 9 fixtures, Thursday 12 November (8:30pm CET): Oranje-Rood v Den Bosch; SCHC v Bloemendaal; Victoria v Amsterdam; Kampong v Pinoké; Hurley v HGC; Rotterdam v HDM.
