There was so much to talk about that it’s difficult to know where to start. The Dutch Cup semi-finals made more than enough headlines and most of them for the wrong reasons: the hostility between arch-rivals Feyenoord and Ajax, who met at De Kuip, culminating in Davy Klaassen being struck on the head by an object thrown from the stands, or the homophobic chants aimed at PSV’s Xavi Simons. It all provoked another social discussion about how to tackle these issues in Dutch football. Again.
With so many shadows cast over the competition it would be easy to forget that there was also something to smile about. A remarkable fairy tale from an amateur club reaching the semi-finals that gave Dutch giants PSV a run for their money and almost caused the Dutch FA another problem to solve.
SV Spakenburg play in the third tier of Dutch football (known as the Jack’s League, for sponsorship reasons), which is the country’s highest amateur level. They are not exactly blowing the league away either, currently set for a mediocre mid-table finish. Yet that didn’t prevent the club from causing one of the most extraordinary giant-killing cup campaigns in the history of Dutch football.
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Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role
Inter cruise to title number 20
Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals
HAT-TRICK HERO
Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final
GOING UP
The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar
Palau soldier on alone
The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner
Disasters brewing
There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines
