EVV claimed a 3-1 victory over Halsteren in the second preliminary round of the KNVB Cup on Tuesday evening. The hosts ran through four goals across the first half, while Halsteren managed only one reply before the break. The result sends EVV onward in the competition while Halsteren's campaign comes to an end.
Goals arrived at the 16th, 31st, 39th and 47th minutes. Halsteren's solitary strike came from the away side, but the visitors could not find a second after that. By then the pattern was clear — EVV were ahead and Halsteren were chasing.
Halsteren's hopes were further dented by a red card, though the precise moment is not recorded in the available data. The dismissal left them down to ten men and forced them into a defensive stance they could not hold. EVV kept their composure and saw out the remaining time without further incident.
The statistics tell an odd story. Halsteren enjoyed 58 per cent possession and registered 102 attacks compared with EVV's 52. Yet the visitors managed only a single shot on target all afternoon, while EVV converted their opportunities. It was a match where efficiency mattered more than territory.
EVV's recent form has been mixed — a 3-1 win over Hercules followed by a heavy 3-10 defeat to IJsselmeervogels — but this performance felt steadier. Halsteren, meanwhile, have struggled for consistency, with results ranging from a 3-2 win over ASVH to a 0-1 loss to Genemuiden.
The 3-1 scoreline leaves EVV with a two-goal advantage on aggregate if this were a two-legged tie, though this is a single knockout. Halsteren depart with nothing to show for their efforts and the cup now belongs to the hosts.
