Gemert vs Helmond Sport

A goalless first half gave little indication of the drama to come after the break. Gemert had the first clear chance of the second period when they were awarded a penalty in the 52nd minute, but E. Craenen saw his spot-kick saved — a miss the home side would briefly regret.

Helmond Sport made them pay six minutes later. Lirim Bajrami found space in the Gemert box and finished crisply to put the Keuken Kampioen Divisie side ahead in the 58th minute.

But Gemert responded swiftly. They earned a second penalty in the 64th minute, and this time Daan van Diepen made no mistake from 12 yards, levelling the score at 1-1.

Neither side could find a winner in the remaining half-hour, and the match finished level — the same result as last year's edition of this now-annual pre-season fixture.

Craenen's missed penalty in the 52nd minute could have defined the match. Had Gemert taken the lead, Helmond would have been chasing the game. Instead, Bajrami's 58th-minute strike flipped the momentum before Van Diepen's successful penalty restored parity. The six-minute window between the two Gemert penalties — one missed, one converted — effectively shaped the final scoreline.

• Daan van Diepen (Gemert) — Stepped up to convert the second penalty with composure after Craenen's earlier miss, earning his side a deserved draw.
• Lirim Bajrami (Helmond Sport) — Scored his first goal of pre-season with a well-taken finish in the 58th minute, the standout moment of quality in the match.
• E. Craenen (Gemert) — A mixed evening: won the first penalty but saw his spot-kick saved, before redeeming himself with the assist that won the second penalty.

Player of the Match: Daan van Diepen (Gemert) — his equalising penalty was the decisive moment that secured the draw.

The 1-1 scoreline reflects a fairly even contest between a Derde Divisie side and a professional Keuken Kampioen Divisie club. The two penalties — one missed, one scored — accounted for the only clear-cut chances of note. Gemert's refusal to let their heads drop after Craenen's miss and Bajrami's goal speaks to their organisation. Helmond, despite the gulf in divisions, could not carve out consistent chances against a well-drilled lower-league opponent.

Helmond Sport remain without a win in three pre-season friendlies (D1 L2) after defeats to Panathinaikos (0-4 on 1 July) and AEK Larnaca (1-2 on 4 July). The side from the Keuken Kampioen Divisie have now failed to beat VV Gemert in three meetings (D2 L1), with last year's friendly also ending 1-1. Their next pre-season test is against De Magische Spons Regioteam at the GS Staalwerken Stadion on 18 July, followed by a final friendly against Sint-Truidense VV on 1 August before the league season begins at home to De Graafschap on 9 August.

For Gemert, this was their first pre-season outing of the 2026/27 campaign, and a creditable result against a side two divisions above them.

A fair result in a tight pre-season friendly. Van Diepen's penalty earned Gemert a draw they merited, while Helmond Sport's pre-season struggles continue. The early signs for the Eerste Divisie side are concerning — two defeats and a draw against lower-league opposition suggests work remains before the competitive season starts on 9 August.