Go Ahead Eagles manager Paul Simonis has commended his players for their ‘lucky’ yet ‘well-deserved’ victory in the KNVB Beker—a historic first for the club.
The Eagles triumphed 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes of play. Both teams started the match at a brisk tempo; however, Simonis observed that his squad spent much of the time in defence and benefited from several missed opportunities by AZ. “We were fortunate a few times today. I felt they were slightly better. We started quite nervously, while they were more incisive.”
Joining Go Ahead Eagles in July 2024 after Rene Hake moved to Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff in Manchester, Simonis has taken on his first managerial role after a lengthy 15-year stint as a youth coach at Sparta Rotterdam and serving as an assistant at Go Ahead Eagles and sc Heerenveen.
Claiming the club’s first major trophy since 1933 holds immense significance for the 40-year-old manager. “It’s truly magnificent to achieve this together with the team and our supporters. They have truly earned this.”
“This is the pinnacle of this season. Maarten (Martens) expressed it well: based on our performances this season, our players deserve this the most.”
For more details on the KNVB Beker final, check out our match report here.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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