Heerenveen prevail in Dutch final shoot-out

SC Heerenveen overcame Eredivisie runners-up FC Twente 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out to win the Dutch Cup for the first time after an epic 2-2 draw in Rotterdam.

Even encounter
At a sold-out De Kuip Stadium, it was Heerenveen who made the brighter start, taking the lead after 27 minutes when Goran Popov struck with a powerful shot. Twente began to assert themselves in the second half and they were rewarded with an equaliser nine minutes after the break when Eljero Elia cut inside from the left and fired into the roof of the net. Twente then hit the post twice, first through Kenneth Perez and then, in extra time, from a Ronnie Stam effort.

Contrasting emotions
It was Heerenveen who regained the lead, though, courtesy of Bonaventure Kalou after 112 minutes, but, with time ebbing way, Youssouf Hersi forced penalties with a 118th-minute header. From the joy of scoring a late equaliser, Hersi then became the only player to miss in the shoot-out, ensuring it was third time lucky for Heerenveen after losing the final in 1993 and again four years later.

Seventh heaven
While it was Heerenveen's first triumph, their coach Trond Sollied was revelling in his seventh final success. "This is my seventh cup," said the 50-year-old. As a player, Sollied won the Norwegian Cup twice with Rosenborg BK, and as a coach he has tasted domestic cup success with FK Bodø/Glimt, Belgium's Club Brugge KV (twice), Olympiacos CFP in Greece and now Heerenveen.