Willem II Stages Stunning Comeback to Sink Waalwijk in Six-Goal Thriller

The script was supposed to favor the home side. Instead, Willem II rewrote it entirely.

In a pulsating Eerste Divisie encounter that swung violently between promise and peril, Willem II rallied from two goals down to stun RKC Waalwijk 3-2 at Mandemakers Stadion on Friday evening, climbing to sixth place in the table while leaving their hosts to rue what might have been.

Devin Haen emerged as the architect of Waalwijk's misery, his brace bookending a second-half surge that transformed a seemingly comfortable home advantage into a gut-wrenching defeat. The forward's 27th-minute opener had given the visitors hope, but when Thomas Verheydt doubled the lead just three minutes into the second half, the trajectory seemed clear.

What followed was anything but predictable.

Waalwijk, sitting in eighth place with 15 points from 10 matches, had entered the fixture riding mixed form—two wins, two draws, and a loss in their previous five outings. Their recent 4-1 demolition of Roda had showcased their attacking capabilities, with four different goal scorers illustrating the depth of their offensive arsenal. Yet Friday's collapse exposed the defensive fragilities that have plagued their campaign, conceding 1.4 goals per game according to pre-match statistics.

The hosts clawed one back through Jesper Uneken in the 80th minute, his fourth goal of the season briefly reigniting hope in the stands. But Haen's second strike in the 78th minute had already delivered the decisive blow, effectively sealing three points for the visitors before Uneken's late consolation.

For Willem II, now on 17 points from 10 matches, the victory represented a crucial rebound from their previous stumble—a surprising 2-1 home defeat to Roda that had threatened to derail their promotion push. That loss had been their third of the season, raising questions about their consistency at the top end of the table. Friday's comeback provided emphatic answers.

The visitors' resilience reflected their season-long pattern of grinding out results. Three of their last five victories before this match had come by a single-goal margin, testament to a team comfortable operating in tight spaces. Their defensive solidity—conceding just 1.3 goals per game entering the fixture—proved pivotal once Verheydt and Haen found their range.

Verheydt's contribution extended his recent hot streak. The striker had netted twice in the dramatic 2-1 victory over Vitesse on September 27 and added another in the loss to Roda. His 48th-minute finish, arriving just as Waalwijk contemplated how to protect a slender advantage, fundamentally altered the match's complexion.

The tactical battle between these playoff contenders lived up to its billing. Pre-match analytics had suggested a closely contested affair, with Willem II holding a narrow 18.3-point advantage in CheckForm ratings despite Waalwijk's home-field edge. The visitors' superior mental strength—a 38.2-point advantage in psychological metrics—manifested in their ability to maintain composure while trailing.

The result carries significant implications for both clubs' promotion ambitions. Willem II's ascent to sixth place keeps them firmly in the playoff picture, just two points off the automatic promotion spots with more than half the season remaining. Their ability to secure results in hostile environments—this marked their third away victory of the campaign—will prove essential as the promotion race intensifies.

For Waalwijk, the defeat stings doubly. Not only did they surrender a commanding position, but they also missed an opportunity to leapfrog their visitors in the standings. Now three points adrift of Willem II, the hosts must quickly rediscover the defensive discipline that has too often eluded them. Their 70 percent rate of matches featuring both teams scoring suggests an open, entertaining style—but one that may prove costly in tight promotion battles.

As both teams navigate the congested middle section of the Eerste Divisie table, Friday's thriller offered a glimpse of what's to come: high stakes, narrow margins, and precious little room for error. Willem II demonstrated they possess the character required for promotion. Waalwijk must now prove they can learn from adversity before their opportunity slips away entirely.