In this second post-competition blog report the story of the teams being relegated from the Eredivisie to the Jupiler League (second division) and the teams going up the other way.
Excelsior Rotterdam, promoted to Eredivisie
The next two lowest-placed teams in the Eredivisie have to take part in the relegation/promotion playoffs.
And now the more complicated bit: two more teams from the Jupiler League take part in these playoffs but it is not as simple as numbers 2 & 3 of the past season. Here’s a quote from an official description of the situation:
“Eight teams from the Jupiler League have a shot at promotion. Eventually two of these teams will end up in the Eredivisie.”
This year, the playoff teams were determined by the following criteria:
- positions 16 & 17 of the Eredivisie
- the four ‘Period’ champions in the Jupiler League
- the four highest placed teams in the Jupiler League who had not already won a ‘period’ title
The ‘Period’ champions are those that have most points after each quarter of the competition (if they have not already won one previously in the same season.
So from the first item above, we have the second and third bottom teams from the Eredivisie: Sparta Rotterdam and Willem II Tilburg.
The first round of three of the playoffs concerns the four relevant teams from the Jupiler League, and this year (I’ll spare you the calculations) these were FC Eindhoven, AGOVV, Helmond Sport and FC Den Bosch. The winners of the two-leg games progress to the second stage of the playoffs along with the two Eredivisie teams mentioned above.
On 26 April 2010, Eindhoven were at home to AGOVV and beat them simply, 2-0. In the return three days later, it was 2-3 to Eindhoven at AGOVV, so Eindhoven progressed. On the same respective days, Helmond Sport lost 1-2 at home to FC Den Bosch but in the second game, Den Bosch returned the compliment exactly, winning by the same score in Helmond. There followed a goalless half hour of extra time, then it was down to penalties, with Helmond coming out on top (4-5) to go forward to the next round.
The second round was played on 6 and 9 May 2010. Eindhoven lost 1-2 at home to Willem II and the return finished 1-1, leaving Willem II to progress to the final third round. Go Ahead Eagles won 2-0 at home against Cambuur and Cambuur could only muster the one goal of the game in the return, so the Eagles landed in the final round.
FC Zwolle then lost their home game to Excelsior Rotterdam 0-1 and the Rotterdammers won a goalfest at home 4-3 to progress. Meanwhile Helmond Sport beat another Rotterdam team, Sparta, at home 2-1 but Sparta were too strong on their own patch and won 2-0 to reach the third round.
The final, third round, was played on 13 & 16 May 2010. Go Ahead Eagles were drawn against Willem II and did well to bet them, albeit only by a single goal. In the return, the Tilburgers were too strong in the end and ran out 3-0 victors – mind you, this was only after extra time! In the other match-up, it was a Rotterdam-only spectacle. The two clubs were evenly matched, the first game at Excelsior ending up 0-0. However, a priceless away goal by Excelsior in the return proved to be the difference between the teams in a 1-1 draw at Sparta.
So it was decided: Willem II remain in the Eredivisie next season and are joined by Excelsior. Sparta will be playing Jupiler League football next time round.
Tags: Eredivisie, football
