Oranje-Rood on course for rare good performance

Oranje-Rood recorded its thirteenth win in the league against Bloemendaal on Sunday and also drew five times - an impressive record that makes coach Ageeth Boomgaardt's team the proud leader of the Hoofdklasse.

If they manage to remain unbeaten after 22 matches, they will do something that has only happened seven times before: finish the regular league without a single defeat. Amsterdam did it first, in 1973-74 (W13 G9). Klein Zwitserland then succeeded twice in a row: in 1978-79 (W18 G3) and 1979-80 (W16 G6).

Kampong followed in the shortened 1980-81 season (W12 G6, just 18 matches) and repeated that feat in 2017-18 (W17 G5) - the same season Bloemendaal also remained unbeaten (W16 G6). The most recent case is Bloemendaal in 2019-20, but that performance has an asterisk attached to it: the season was halted early after 15 matches due to the corona pandemic.

Next for Oranje-Rood: top match against Rotterdam

Oranje-Rood still has four matches to go in the regular league. First awaits an away game at Rotterdam, then a home game with Schaerweijde, then a visit to straggler Hurley and then a concluding home game against Kampong. In particular, next weekend's trip to Rotterdam - the number two on the league table - promises to be a serious test of the unbeaten status.