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A bizarre incident marked matchday 21 of the Eredivisie, as a referee’s mistake allowed Fortuna Sittard to play with 12 men against Heerenveen for over a minute. The incident occurred in the 88th minute, with the home side leading 2-1, following a double substitution request by Fortuna. Due to a mix-up involving the electronic substitution board, a player who was supposed to leave the pitch remained on, temporarily giving the visiting team a numerical advantage.
The confusion stemmed from a miscommunication by the fourth official, who incorrectly displayed the number 20 on the substitution board, leading Edouard Michut to believe he was being substituted. The midfielder briefly left the field before returning after receiving new instructions from the bench. Meanwhile, Dahlhaus, who was actually supposed to come off, remained on the pitch, approaching his coach Bujis for final tactical advice.
The first to notice the mistake was Heerenveen coach Robin Van Persie, who immediately approached the fourth official to protest. Only then did the referee stop play and correct the situation. However, the controversy didn’t stop Fortuna from scoring the equalizer just a minute later, as Guth found the net from a corner in the 90th minute.
Heerenveen has already confirmed they will appeal the result, arguing that Fortuna gained an unfair advantage during a crucial phase of the game. "The mistake influenced the final outcome, considering the equalizer came right after," Van Persie stated after the match. The Dutch FA (KNVB) is now awaiting the IFAB’s verdict to determine whether the match should be replayed, as the goal was scored after the error was corrected and the extra player had already left the field.
