Kloinge and Rochda Ralte drew 3:3 in the second division's regular season, round seven, on Saturday 26 September. The hosts took an early lead before the visitors responded, and the match swung from end to end until the final whistle. We had backed Kloinge to win, but the game took a different turn.
E. Willemsen opened the scoring in the third minute, and the momentum seemed to settle for Kloinge. To be fair, Rochda Ralte did not panic, and they brought on L. Admiraal in the 19th minute to steady the ship. By then, the visitors had found their shape.
M. Bulut restored the lead for Kloinge in the 24th minute, and the home side thought they had the game won inside twenty minutes. That was not to be. A. de Waal levelled for Rochda Ralte in the 48th minute, and the visitors had switched off at the back just enough to give themselves a chance.
The middle period brought discipline issues. D. Wissel and S. Brand picked up yellow cards in the 58th and 59th minutes, and Rochda Ralte brought on Brand and Willemsen in the 64th minute. J. Dijkstra then put Kloinge ahead again in the 73rd minute, and the home side held their nerve.
D. Rickhoff converted a penalty in the 77th minute to make it 3:2, and the match opened up once more. S. Schalkwijk found the net for Rochda Ralte in the 85th minute, and the points were shared. The incident went to review, but the penalty stood, and that was the moment everything changed.
Kloinge registered 99 attacks against 53 for the visitors, with possession split 52 to 48. Shots on target were 11 to 12, and both sides had six corners. The statistics tell you that many chances went begging—ten goals from 23 shots on target means the finishers found their moments.
Kloinge move up to 16th place with six points, while Rochda Ralte remain 18th on one point. The goal difference tells the fuller story: Kloinge have scored 15 and conceded 13, Rochda have scored 12 and conceded 20. Neither side has much to shout about, but the draw keeps both sides in the hunt for something better.
