National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10302 (Terracing: 7727, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Jurgen Assendelft got the match started through his kick off. Remi Fumić charged in rather forcefully in the 8th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Remi Fumić the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Remi Fumić hit a great freekick 8 minutes into the match. In the 13th match minute, U21 Belgium was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Giles Kempenaers to maneuver through the defense. 16 minutes into the game, U21 Belgium's Rik de la Croix nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Erik Pelgrims made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 1-0. Gerrit Visscher charged in rather forcefully in the 18th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Gerrit Visscher the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Franky Vranx made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Thomas Atsma in the 25th minute of play. Erik Pelgrims didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Edward Smeulders went, in the 29th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-0 was the resulting score. The supporters of U21 Netherlands booed when U21 Belgium was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 32 match minutes in a wonderful position. Pieter Versluys didn't get a good kick on the ball. 34 minutes into the match, U21 Netherlands's goalkeeper Erik Pelgrims had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Rik de la Croix. The supporters of U21 Netherlands booed when U21 Belgium was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 36 match minutes in a wonderful position. William Huybrechts didn't get a good kick on the ball. Luuk de Jong sent away a hard shot on goal in the 37th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 43 played minutes U21 Netherlands got a freekick which was hit by Gerrit Visscher. Marc Wilmots was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 44th played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. The away team players looked dejected as the walked off the pitch at half time. They had fought hard, but were still losing 2-0.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Edward Smeulders stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Franky Vranx made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Thomas Atsma in the 52nd minute of play. After having played for 54 minutes, Thomas Atsma managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. U21 Netherlands's supporters crossed their fingers, but Thomas Atsma was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 59th minute, Giles Kempenaers hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Erik Pelgrims took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Edward Smeulders, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. A collision led to U21 Belgium getting a freekick after 68 minutes play. Pieter Versluys hit a great ball. Franky Vranx was in exellent shape and made a fantastic save when he, in the 69th minute of the match, managed to get hold of the ball after a long shot from Erben Boeve. In the 71st match minute, U21 Netherlands was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Jurgen Assendelft to maneuver through the defense. 3-0 became the score in the 72nd minute when Giles Kempenaers elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. After some careless play in the U21 Netherlands defense, Giles Kempenaers kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Erik Pelgrims. The U21 Netherlands fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Erik Pelgrims should have stopped the shot. Thomas Atsma received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 78th minute. Franky Vranx tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Edward Smeulders scored 5-0 in the 80th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Erik Pelgrims, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Erik Pelgrims stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Edward Smeulders's shot from short distance in the 82nd minute. Rik de la Croix sent away a hard shot on goal in the 83rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 90th minute, Edward Smeulders got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Edward Smeulders recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 93rd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Rik de la Croix fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 96th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Erik Pelgrims having to interfere.