Willem II vs Quick Boys

Willem II head coach John Stegeman made nine changes at half-time, replacing virtually his entire starting XI with youth-team players (Willem II match report). The disruption broke the rhythm the Eredivisie side had built before the interval. Quick Boys, who had enjoyed more possession throughout, found more space against the inexperienced second-half line-up and created the better chances after the break. The gamble to rotate heavily — understandable in a pre-season friendly — cost Willem II the lead they had worked for.

In the 89th minute, substitute Jayden Spier went down under contact with Jansen, but referee Teun van Pelt waved away penalty appeals. It was the last meaningful action of the match.

Kian Slor (Quick Boys) — The winger's equaliser was a moment of individual quality that shifted the game's momentum. He showed composure to cut inside and place his shot beyond Van der Steen.

Lars Jansen (Quick Boys) — The goalkeeper made several important saves, including tipping a Devin Haen effort and parrying Van Esdonk's shot before the own goal. He also denied substitute Luca Maal in the second half.

Devin Haen (Willem II) — The young midfielder was one of Willem II's brighter performers in the first half, forcing two saves from Jansen in quick succession.

Virgil Misidjan (Willem II) — The experienced forward created the first real chance of the match after 30 minutes, finding space for a shot that Jansen saved comfortably.

The match page shows no cards were issued, reflecting the friendly nature of the fixture. Quick Boys had more possession in the first half, per the Willem II match report, before the home side raised their pressing intensity. Willem II's best spell came between the 30th and 40th minutes, generating three clear chances — all saved by Jansen. The nine half-time substitutions by Stegeman tell the story of the second half: a disjointed Willem II side conceded two goals and managed only one clear chance (Mouhoul hitting the post) before the final whistle.

This was Willem II's first defeat of pre-season, following an 11-0 demolition of amateur side RKDSV on 29 June. For head coach John Stegeman, the performance underlined the gap between his first-choice XI and the deeper squad. Quick Boys, under new manager Rogier Veenstra, showed they can compete with Eredivisie opposition despite operating two tiers below. Willem II's next friendly is against Royal Antwerp at the Bosuilstadion on 19 July. Quick Boys continue their pre-season programme against SJC on 11 July, followed by a trip to Jong PSV.

A pre-season result that matters more for context than the scoreline. Willem II's first half was encouraging — organised, pressing well, creating chances. The second half was a reminder that pre-season is about building fitness, not results. Quick Boys, organised and patient, took their opportunities when the quality gap narrowed after the interval.