MVV Maastricht secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Volendam in the third match of the Eerste Divisie Regular Season on Friday evening. The result came courtesy of an own goal from Erik Schouten in the 53rd minute, and it marks MVV's first competitive game of the campaign.
Volendam started brightly enough, taking the yellow card in the 31st minute when Jaïr Haakmat picked up a booking. Things shifted for the visitors at half-time when Haakmat was substituted, and by then the visitors were already down to 10 men after Daan Huisman received a caution in the 51st minute.
The decisive moment arrived shortly after. Schouten bundled the ball into his own net in the 53rd minute, and the goal meant MVV held on through a scrappy second half. Volendam made changes at 65 minutes, bringing on Alex Plat alongside Schouten, while MVV responded with Delano Asante entering the fray.
Statistically, the match was evenly balanced. MVV controlled 49 per cent of possession compared to Volendam's 51, and both sides registered a single save between them. The hosts managed one shot on target from 11 attempts, while Volendam hit the target twice but couldn't find the net.
Volendam now sit 10th in the table with six points from four matches, having won two and lost two. MVV, playing their first game of the season, move into eighth place with the three points, though the table remains meaningless at this stage of the campaign.