Dutch League: Fortuna FC fields 12 players in Heerenveen draw

Dutch football was left reeling in shock after a bizarre incident in the Eredivisie match between Heerenveen and Fortuna Sittard on Saturday.

Robin van Persie, the Heerenveen manager, was left fuming after match officials mistakenly allowed Fortuna Sittard to field 12 players on the pitch for nearly a minute.

The controversy unfolded in the 88th minute when Fortuna Sittard made a double substitution.

However, in the chaos of the moment, Jasper Dalhaus, who was supposed to be subbed off, continued playing for nearly a minute.

Van Persie, who was watching from the sidelines, immediately protested to the match officials, but they seemed oblivious to the error.

As the game continued with 12 Fortuna Sittard players on the pitch, Heerenveen’s players were left bewildered and frustrated.

The visitors eventually realized their mistake, and Dalhaus finally came off the pitch. However, the damage had already been done.

Just a minute later, Fortuna Sittard equalized through a corner kick, snatching a crucial point away from Heerenveen.

The goal sparked wild celebrations among the Fortuna Sittard players and coaching staff, while Van Persie and his team were left to rue the mistake that had cost them dearly.

After the match, Van Persie was scathing in his criticism of the match officials. “It’s unbelievable that this can happen at this level,” he said. “The officials should be ashamed of themselves. It’s a clear mistake, and it’s cost us a point.”

The incident has sparked a heated debate in Dutch football, with many calling for the introduction of video assistant referees (VARs) to help prevent such mistakes in the future.

The Dutch football association (KNVB) has announced that it will investigate the incident and take disciplinary action if necessary.

For Heerenveen, the result was a bitter pill to swallow. The team had been in control for much of the match and had created several scoring opportunities.

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