Felice Albers prevents Amsterdam from losing points

Felice Albers prevented Amsterdam from starting the season with a false start. The team, which underwent a true metamorphosis this summer with nine departures and seven new players, had to make do without Sabine Plönissen, Stella van Gils and Chinese international Li Hong in the opening match. One of the newcomers, Imke Verstraeten, scored the first goal after ten minutes. The former Pinoké player, good for 15 goals last season, immediately pushed the first penalty corner of the evening against the board. The lead was doubled in the first minute of the second quarter through Fay van der Elst by tapping in at the first post. Four minutes later, Fiona Morgenstern scored against her old club with a controlled shot, bringing the margin back to one goal.

Just after half-time, Amsterdam seemed to put things right. Again it was Van der Elst who found the net, this time with a tip-in, making it 3-1. But Hurley continued to believe in a result. Ten minutes before the end of the third quarter, Margot van Hecking Colenbrander brought the tension back with a raking penalty corner. Nine minutes before time, it was even 3-3. Michelle van de Drift rammed a rebound from a corner into the goal. Amsterdam seemed to have to settle for a draw until the ball rolled in front of Albers' stick after a move by Freeke Moes via a Hurley defender. The attacker did not hesitate and decided the match in Amsterdam's favour after all.