FC Emmen secures promotion to Eredivisie

FC Emmen will return to the Eredivisie after a year. The formation of coach Dick Lukkien won 0-1 at FC Dordrecht on Friday evening. A place in the first two in the Kitchen Champion Division can no longer escape the attention of the Drentse formation.

In the extra time of the first half, Rui Mendes gave Emmen the lead at Dordrecht, which is low in the ranking. He scored with a lob on a pass from Oussama El Azzouzi. Emmen played the last 15 minutes with one player fewer, because Keziah Veendorp was sent off by referee Erwin Blank.

"Great to be a part of," Lukkien said to ESPN immediately after the game, upon seeing the partying Emmen fans. "I sat fairly quietly on the bench, even after we came to play with one man less in the final phase. What also played a role was that the results on other fields were in our favor."

After the relegation, the goal was "back together," the trainer continued. "We have achieved that, but the season is not over yet. Of course we also want to become champions. But we have this and this is a joint thing. The season ticket holders, the sponsors, they have continued to support us in times of coronavirus. This allowed us to put together a good squad for this season."

Both the number 1 and the number 2 from the Kitchen Champion Division are promoted directly to the highest level. Volendam, which plays against Jong Ajax on Saturday, is currently second. Volendam can further distance themselves from FC Eindhoven. The number 3 lost at home to Jong PSV, 1-3.