Almere City FC vs Telstar

The match kicked off at 14:00 local time at Sportpark Heeckeren in Epe, where Almere City were based for a training camp. Both sides used the fixture primarily for fitness-building ahead of the new season.

Almere started brightly but Telstar drew first blood in the 24th minute. Goalkeeper Tristan Kuijsten had made several early saves to keep the score level, but could not prevent Jelani Seedorf from opening the scoring after a turnover in Almere's build-up play.

The hosts gradually worked their way into the contest. Jamie Jacobs had a goal ruled out for offside, but the leveller arrived soon after. Ferdy Druijf finished convincingly in the 31st minute to send the sides into the break at 1-1.

Both teams made wholesale changes at half-time, effectively fielding entirely new XIs for the second period. Telstar's second-half side was notably younger, while Almere's fresh legs brought immediate energy.

The hosts dominated the early stages of the second half and their pressure told when Bas Huisman scored what proved to be the winner. The striker had earlier rattled the crossbar but made no mistake with his next opportunity, finishing to make it 2-1.

Almere continued to create chances to extend their lead. Lev Lenssen went clean through on goal but shot wide. Huisman saw a shot blocked after a good cross from Emanuel Poku, and Ghogli was denied when clean through following a fine run from Teun Bijleveld.

At the other end, goalkeeper Joël van de Wilt produced a smart late save from a Kay Tejan free-kick to preserve Almere's advantage and secure the win.

The wholesale changes at half-time proved decisive. Almere's second-string XI injected far greater energy and intensity than their first-half counterparts had managed, pinning Telstar back from the restart. Huisman's winner was the just reward for a dominant 20-minute spell that Telstar's youthful second-half line-up could not withstand.

Ferdy Druijf — The striker's composed 31st-minute equaliser dragged Almere back into the match at a moment when they were struggling for rhythm. His finish was the game's most technically accomplished moment.

Bas Huisman — The match-winner. Hit the crossbar before scoring the decisive goal and was a persistent threat throughout the second half with his movement and physical presence.

Tristan Kuijsten — Kept Almere in the contest during a difficult opening 25 minutes with several important saves before Seedorf eventually beat him.

Joël van de Wilt — Produced a vital save in the closing stages from Tejan's free-kick to ensure the victory.

Almere controlled the second half territorially after a first half in which Telstar created the clearer chances. The fact that both sides effectively played two separate matches (different XIs either side of half-time) makes traditional statistics — possession, shots — less meaningful than usual for a friendly. What the scoreline reflects is squad depth: Almere's second unit was substantially more effective than their first, while Telstar's youthful replacements struggled to cope with the intensity.

This was Almere City's first pre-season outing of the summer. The club was relegated from the Eredivisie at the end of the 2025/26 season after losing to Willem II in the promotion/relegation play-off semi-finals (0-1, 0-2) and will compete in the Eerste Divisie in 2026/27 — the same second tier as Telstar. Next up for Almere is a friendly against Go Ahead Eagles on 8 July, followed by fixtures against AZ Alkmaar (11 July), FC Volendam (15 July), TOP Oss (25 July), FC Emmen (1 August) and FC Den Bosch (8 August) as they build towards the new season. Telstar continue their own pre-season schedule with further friendlies ahead of the Eerste Divisie campaign.

A useful workout for both sides. Almere's first-half performance was disjointed but their second-string XI showed encouraging sharpness and intent. Telstar will take encouragement from their composed first-half display but will want their young second-half group to show greater resilience. The 2-1 scoreline was a fair reflection of the balance of play across the 90 minutes.