KV Mechelen vs ADO Den Haag

The Eredivisie-bound visitors dominated the opening hour but found themselves trailing at the break. Benito Raman headed KV Mechelen into a 9th-minute lead against the run of play from a swift counter-attack, and ADO went in 1-0 down despite enjoying the bulk of possession and creating the clearer chances — Jesse Bal was denied a certain goal when hauled down in the box just before the first block ended, but the referee waved play on.

After the interval, ADO head coach Robin Peter made 11 changes, introducing a completely fresh XI. The new lineup started sluggishly: sloppy possession in their own half allowed KV Mechelen to break quickly, and Keano Vanrafelghem turned in a Decoene cross at the far post to make it 2-0 in the 65th minute.

The comeback began in the 85th minute. A dangerous strike from ADO substitute Daryl Bergtop was turned into his own net by KV Mechelen defender Ian Struyf. Three minutes later, Jan Zamburek — one of several new signings making their debuts — lifted a clever lob over the defence for Nigel Thomas, who finished calmly to level the scores at 2-2.

Luka Reischl had a chance to put ADO ahead immediately but saw his effort flash narrowly wide. The winner arrived in the 106th minute: a corner caused a scramble in the Mechelen box, and Reischl forced the ball over the line to complete the turnaround.

Struyf's own goal in the 85th minute was the moment that shifted momentum. Until then, ADO had controlled the game without reward and were staring at a 2-0 defeat. The fortuitous strike gave them a foothold, and they capitalised within three minutes through Thomas. From 2-1 down to 2-2 in 180 seconds, ADO's belief surged and the winner felt inevitable.

Nigel Thomas (ADO Den Haag) — The winger was a constant threat after coming on in the second half and took his goal with composure. His movement stretched the Mechelen defence at the crucial moment.

Luka Reischl (ADO Den Haag) — Hit the winner and had earlier gone close. The striker's persistence in the box was rewarded with the decisive goal from a corner.

Jan Zamburek (ADO Den Haag) — Impressed on his debut for the club after joining this summer. His lofted assist for Thomas's equaliser was the pass of the match.

Kilian Nikièma (ADO Den Haag) — Made a sharp save from point-blank range in the first half to keep his side in the contest when Mechelen threatened a second.

The match was played over 120 minutes in four blocks, so traditional 90-minute stats should be read with caution. ADO Den Haag's official match report notes they were "the dominant side" throughout, reflected in their sustained pressure across all four periods. The scoreline — 2-0 down after 65 minutes — masked the balance of play: ADO created several clear chances before Mechelen's first goal and had a strong penalty claim waved away. The 3-2 final score better reflected the territorial advantage the Eredivisie side held.

ADO Den Haag made it three wins from three pre-season friendlies after earlier beating HVV Laakkwartier and the Westlands Elftal (6-0). The side returns to Eredivisie action after five years in the second tier and faces Lommel SK on Friday 24 July in their next warm-up fixture, followed by a home friendly against Asteras Aktor FC on 31 July at the WerkTalent Stadion. New signings Zamburek, Lasse Wilhelm and goalkeeper Niclas Thiede all saw minutes in Roosendaal, while Hungarian international Donát Bárány watched from the stands as he continues recovery from an ankle injury.

KV Mechelen, who finished sixth in the Belgian Pro League last season, continue their own pre-season programme with further friendlies to be announced.

A deserved win for ADO Den Haag, who were the better side for long stretches and showed the resilience that will serve them well back in the top flight. The ability to flip a 2-0 deficit with a much-changed XI speaks to useful squad depth. For KV Mechelen, the result was harsh on the scoreboard but offered a solid workout against quality opposition.