Groningen vs FC Volendam

Volendam coach Van de Looi made a double change on 65 minutes, introducing Bisschops and Jesper Tielemans for Haakmat and Veerman. The impact was instant.

Within a minute of his arrival, Bisschops finished a flowing move. Van Cruijsen's through ball released Nick Doodeman down the right, and his low cross was turned in by Bisschops at the far post to make it 0-2.

Three minutes later, Van Cruijsen scored a spectacular third, driving forward from midfield and unleashing an unstoppable strike from distance that left Janse with no chance.

The double blow inside four minutes killed any hope of a Groningen comeback.

Volendam thought they had added a third earlier when Doodeman rounded the goalkeeper and rolled the ball towards an empty net, but Mohammed Belfqih touched it over the line from an offside position and the goal was correctly ruled out.

Nordin Bukala — opened the scoring with a well-taken finish from a corner and was a constant threat in midfield before being substituted on 72 minutes. His movement and composure set the tone for Volendam's dominant display.

Daan Bisschops — introduced as a 65th-minute substitute and scored within 60 seconds. His impact off the bench was decisive, doubling the lead and effectively ending the contest.

Robin van Cruijsen — provided the assist for Bukala's opener from a corner, delivered the through ball that led to Bisschops' goal, and scored a stunning third himself from range. The midfielder was at the heart of everything Volendam did well.

Roy Steur — kept a clean sheet with a vital save to deny Ryan Metu, steering the striker's effort onto the post when Groningen threatened briefly early in the second half.

Volendam's 14 shots to Groningen's 8 (per FotMob data) reflected their control throughout, but the scoreline undersells the game's structure. The contest was tight until the 65th minute, with Volendam leading only 1-0 despite superior possession. The introduction of Bisschops transformed the dynamic — Volendam scored three goals in the final 25 minutes after creating only sporadic chances in the first hour. Groningen's rotation (four changes, including both goalkeepers) and the looming fixture against Volos NFC clearly influenced their intensity.

For FC Volendam, this is the most impressive result of their pre-season campaign so far. After a 3-1 loss to Jong AZ on 11 July and a 3-2 win over RKAV Volendam on 5 July, Van de Looi's side produced their most complete performance. They face Ajax at home on 2 August at the Kras Stadion in their next pre-season outing.

Groningen, under Dick Lukkien, fielded a combination squad with several first-team regulars rested. They played Volos NFC the following day (25 July), drawing 0-0 in Veendam. The scoreline is unlikely to cause concern given the rotated lineup, but they will face stiffer tests as pre-season progresses.

A comprehensive pre-season win for Volendam that was built on an early set-piece goal and finished emphatically by their substitutes. The scoreline flatters their dominance slightly — the game was a contest until Bisschops' instant impact — but four different scorers and a clean sheet represent exactly the kind of workout Van de Looi wanted. For Groningen, the result is meaningless given the context of their rotation and double-header schedule.