HERA United will once again be in the spotlight on Wednesday evening. The team has impressively fought its way to the semi-final of the KNVB Cup, where they will face FC Twente midweek. Just before the winter break, HERA managed to hold the team from Enschede to a 0–0 draw.
However, HERA United does not travel to Enschede after a perfect dress rehearsal. Last Sunday, they suffered a 3–1 home defeat against ADO Den Haag. A painful loss, but one that may have come at exactly the right time.
“Who knows, that match might also trigger something positive,” said head coach Ed Engelkes. “We quickly get the chance to make up for that poor performance.”
Engelkes added: “Internally, we’ve of course discussed what went wrong on Sunday. But Wednesday evening’s match is a match in itself, and that’s how we approach it. The players are really looking forward to a cup semi-final.”
Reaching the semi-final in their first year of existence is already an achievement for HERA United. FC Twente are currently second in the Eredivisie and have already won the cup four times. Still, in the league match just before the winter break, the game ended 0–0.
“To be honest, FC Twente were the better side in that match,” Engelkes recalls. “But we managed to hold firm defensively. For Wednesday’s cup match, I expect a similar type of game. We’re playing against the reigning champions. We respect them, but we don’t fear them. We’ll stick to our own philosophy where possible, play attacking football when we can, and work extremely hard. We’re preparing for a strong opponent, but we will be ready.”