Women’s Hoofdklasse Round 10: Amsterdam Host SCHC in the Game That Decides the Title Race

Den Bosch have made the women’s Hoofdklasse look like a procession. Nine games, nine wins, 35 goals scored, one conceded. But Sunday’s round still has a title race in it, because second plays third at the Wagener Stadium and the loser is effectively out of it.

Amsterdam host SCHC at 12:45pm CET (4:45pm PKT), and the table makes the stakes simple. SCHC are second on 24 points, Amsterdam third on 22. A SCHC win takes them to 27, level with Den Bosch at the top. An Amsterdam win lifts them to 25 and above SCHC into second. A draw suits neither, and suits Den Bosch just fine.

Thursday’s midweek round is what set this up. SCHC beat Bloemendaal 3-1 at home, Maud van den Heuvel scoring twice and Yibbi Jansen adding a penalty corner. Amsterdam were even more convincing, winning 3-0 away at Victoria, with Imke Verstraeten scoring twice before half-time. Both sides arrive in form. Only one leaves with the race alive.

Jansen, with 15 goals this season, is the player Amsterdam have to stop. She has scored in just about every kind of game this season, and SCHC’s whole attack runs through her drag-flick. Amsterdam’s answer is depth: Verstraeten, Marijn Veen and a defence that hasn’t conceded in four straight wins.

Den Bosch should make it ten from ten

While the chasers fight each other, Den Bosch host Kampong at the Oosterplas. On paper this is the mismatch of the round: the leaders against a side sixth on 14 points, and Den Bosch haven’t conceded in eight straight games.

Kampong aren’t coming to make up the numbers, though. Iris de Kemp scored twice in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Pinoké, taking her to 12 goals for the season, and Kampong have been the best of the rest when it matters. Still, Den Bosch have beaten everyone put in front of them, and Frédérique Matla, on 20 goals after nine games, is scoring at a rate the league has never seen. A tenth straight win keeps them clear at the top, at least three points ahead of whoever wins in Amsterdam.

The rest of Sunday

Rotterdam, fifth on 15 points, meet Bloemendaal, who are tenth on seven. Rotterdam’s 0-0 draw at HDM on Thursday kept them unbeaten in five, but they need wins, not draws, to stay in touch with the top four.

Oranje-Rood, eighth on nine points, face HDM, ninth on seven. Oranje-Rood lost 1-0 to Den Bosch on Thursday after holding them for 45 minutes, and that defensive effort will travel well.

Hurley, fourth on 16 points, meet Pinoké, seventh on nine. Hurley rescued a point at HGC on Thursday with a last-minute penalty corner, while Pinoké lost late to Kampong. Hurley have the top four to protect; Pinoké have a season to save.

And HGC, eleventh on four points, meet bottom side Victoria, still without a point after nine games and 41 goals conceded. If ever there was a day for Victoria to finally get off the mark, it isn’t this one, but HGC can’t afford to take it lightly either.

All six games start at 12:45pm CET (4:45pm PKT) on Sunday 15 November. Round 11 follows next Sunday, 22 November.