Eric Ten Hag stood on the sidelines with a sharp expression.
Arghana had been carried off the field. The euphoria from the goal had turned into a much heavier feeling.
However, one thing was certain—the match was not over!
He turned toward the bench and shouted, "DENNIS, PUT IN A DEFENDER! WE'RE DEFENDING FOR OUR LIVES!"
Dennis Demmers nodded and immediately signaled. The final substitution!
Go Ahead Eagles pulled Quincy Promes off the field, replacing him with an additional defensive midfielder. The formation shifted—more defensive, tighter.
No one cared about attacking anymore.
Now, there was only one thing that mattered—securing this victory!
"Don't let the ball in!" Captain Xandro Schenk's voice echoed. Go Ahead Eagles were now like a steel wall. All the players dropped back, closing every gap.
FC Volendam was going crazy!
They knew this was their last chance. They kept pressing, bombarding the Eagles' defense with crosses and long-range shots.
==
90th minute:
An opponent's header nearly went in, but the Eagles' goalkeeper flew to save it!
Entering injury time!
A corner kick for Volendam! All the Eagles' players crowded into the penalty box.
The ball headed toward the far post—an opponent headed it!
But it hit the crossbar!
The cheers were held back, the players' breaths seemed to stop.
Go Ahead Eagles were exhausted. Their breaths were heavy, their legs beginning to weaken.
But they refused to waste Arghana's sacrifice.
Quincy Promes glanced toward the bench, looking at the empty stretcher where Arghana had once lay.
"No... we have to win!"
In the stands, the atmosphere was growing tenser. There were no more songs.
They bit their lips, clutched their jerseys, holding their breath on every FC Volendam attack.
"My God, just hold on a little longer!"
Some fans closed their eyes. Some couldn't bear to watch anymore.
On the other side of the stadium, FC Volendam's supporters stood hysterically, shouting, urging their team to score!
===
90+3 – The last injury time!
FC Volendam's final attack!
A precise cross into the penalty area—their striker jumped!
A powerful header aimed at the corner of the goal!
The Eagles' goalkeeper leapt…
AND PUNCHED THE BALL OUT!
The ball bounced out of the penalty box, cleared by an Eagles defender as far as possible.
The sound of the final whistle pierced the air.
It's over.
GO AHEAD EAGLES ARE BACK IN EREDIVISIE!
17 YEARS OF WAITING HAS ENDED!
The stadium erupted like a tsunami.
Thousands of supporters exploded in euphoria that words couldn't describe.
In the stands, people were shouting, crying, hugging each other!
Red-and-yellow flags waved wildly in the midst of the hysterical crowd.
They no longer cared who they were standing next to.
They didn't care whether the person next to them was a friend or a stranger.
Tonight, everyone was family.
They had gone through 17 years of pain.
17 years stuck in the second division.
17 years watching other clubs rise and fall in Eredivisie… while they could only dream.
But tonight, that dream became reality.
Go Ahead Eagles were back.
Some players were still standing in the middle of the field, silent.
Not because they were tired... but because they were still trying to comprehend what had just happened.
They made it.
They would play in Eredivisie!
Many of them grew up only watching Eredivisie on TV.
Playing in the highest league in the Netherlands was just a childhood dream… a dream that felt so far away.
But now?
They were no longer watching.
They would be in it.
They would play against Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV.
They would stand in the big stadiums… as Eredivisie players.
Their lips quivered... and one by one, they began to cry.
Some fell to the ground.
Some hugged their teammates.
All the emotions they had been holding back finally exploded.
They made it.
They were legends in this city.
In the broadcast booth, the commentator was still trying to catch his breath.
This was insane. This was unbelievable.
He looked at the field, watching the Go Ahead Eagles players scatter, the supporters who seemed to have lost their minds.
He tried to speak… but the words felt stuck in his throat.
Then finally...
"CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?!"
"17 YEARS OF WAITING! 17 YEARS OF SUFFERING! AND TONIGHT, GO AHEAD EAGLES ARE BACK IN EREDIVISIE!"
"LOOK AT THIS STADIUM! LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE!"
"THIS IS FOOTBALL AS IT SHOULD BE!"
His voice shook as he uttered those words.
Because he knew…
History had just been written in this stadium.
On the sidelines, Eric Ten Hag stood still.
He looked at the stands.
He looked at his players.
He heard the hysterical screams of the supporters.
He had done it.
His first season coaching Go Ahead Eagles, and he had brought this team up.
This should have been a moment to bask in celebration…
But his mind was elsewhere.
This was just the beginning.
Now, they were entering Eredivisie.
But that was not the end of the journey—it was the start of a bigger challenge.
Could they survive?
Could they make an impact?
Could they grow into a stronger team?
Eric Ten Hag took a deep breath.
He turned to his players—the young men who had just won the biggest dream of their lives.
"Enjoy tonight..." he thought. "Because tomorrow, we'll think about the next step."