Heerenveen records a much-needed victory over Heracles Almelo

Sc Heerenveen has recorded its third victory of the season. Kees van Wonderen’s team, which could make good use of the three points after a mediocre start to the season, was too strong for Heracles Almelo 3-0 in the Abe Lenstra Stadium. Thanks to the victory, Heerenveen climbs from fifteenth to tenth place.

In the initial phase, the Frisians were lord and master of their own house. Patrik Walemark sent several Herac men into the woods with some nice actions on the right flank, Luuk Brouwers made it difficult for Heracles goalkeeper Michael Brouwer with a hard header and Osame Sahraoui was a plague for the Heracles defenders.

It was therefore no surprise that the opening goal was made by Frisian and came within ten minutes. Heerenveen was helped by right back Navajo Bakdraad, who took a ball completely wrong. Sahraoui took advantage and flawlessly shot the 1-0 against the ropes.

Ten minutes later, Brouwer had to concede the 2-0, after Brouwers had beautifully knocked the ball home from about thirty meters. A liberating goal for the 25-year-old Brouwers, because it was his first for Heerenveen. His previous Premier League goal, at the time still for Go Ahead Eagles, dated from a year and a half ago.

After Sahraoui, one of the standouts of the first half hour, had to leave the field injured after 34 minutes, Heerenveen slowed down a bit. Yet the visitors from Almelo were unable to give anything back for peace. Heracles did not get further than a header against the crossbar by Lasse Wehmeyer.

Heracles put Heerenveen goalkeeper Andries Noppert to work more often after the break, but the five-time international kept his goal clean thanks to some good saves. After first narrowly tapping a shot from the sliding Wehmeyer over the goal, he was also sharp with a long shot from substitute Marko Vejinovic.

His fellow goalkeeper Brouwers was beaten in the second half and had to concede the third goal of the evening. Brouwers tapped the ball in from close range after excellent preparatory work by Anas Tahiri.

View the reactions of Heerenveen coach Kees van Wonderen, two-time goalscorer Luuk Brouwers and Heracles coach John Lammers after the match.