With the home leg ending in a 2-2 draw in Velsen-Zuid, both Willem II and Telstar knew only a win, whether it be after regular time, extra time, or penalties, would earn them Eredivisie football.
For Willem II, it would be the tenth season in the Eredivisie in the last 12 years. For Telstar, it would be the first season at the highest level since 1978.
The visitors had a dream start in the Koning Willem II Stadion. A quick counter saw Tyrone Owusu get the ball in Willem II's box, after which the midfielder stayed calm and passed the ball off to Mees Kaandorp, who finished the ball at the near post to put Telstar up after six minutes.
Telstar's star man, Youssef El Kachati, quickly added a second for the high-flying visitors after escaping Willem II's backline and calmly finishing his 1-on-1 through Thomas Didillon-Hodl's leg.
The striker, who's due to leave Telstar and will likely make a move to Germany, nearly created the 3-0 all on his own when the Moroccan-Dutch star dribbled around the Willem II defence and delivered a low cross in the opposition's box, but none of his team-mates could get their foot onto it.
The home side responded swiftly after a rough start and got one back through Rob Nizet, who saw his free-kick get deflected and roll past Ronald Koeman Jr. for the 2-1 in the 17th minute.
The goal reinvigorated Willem II's fighting spirit, and very soon after Nizet's goal, the Tilburg side got eerily close to an equaliser when Cisse Sandra's high back-heel pass got cleared off the line. A deflected effort from Ringo Meerveld hit the crossbar not long after.
17,198 days
Telstar headed into the break with a 2-1 lead and a virtual ticket for the Eredivisie. It was clear Anthony Correia's team were not content with how the first half ended and opened the second half with attacking intent. Tyrese Noslin saw his effort cleared off the line by Boris Lambert, and Didillon-Hodl parried away El Kachati's long-distance.
The away crowd erupted for a third time when Mees Kaandorp scored his second of the day, easily heading the ball in after being left unmarked during a corner.
Willem II could not create a clear-cut chance in the second half and disappointed mightily in the fight for survival. An expected final push in the closing minutes didn't come, and a beaten Willem II side saw their hopes get smashed apart when Kyan Vaesen's header in injury time only managed to hit the crossbar.
Telstar's remarkable story saw a new chapter written on Sunday, largely thanks to the revolution under manager Anthony Correia. After four seasons in charge of amateurs VV Katwijk, with whom he won the national amateur championship twice, and seven years working as an assistant at Telstar, the Suriname-born gaffer takes Telstar back to the Eredivisie after 17,198 days in his first season in charge.
Since relegation to the Eerste Divisie in 1978, Telstar have only finished in the top-5 three times: in 1982 (fourth), 1984, and 1994 (both fifth). Telstar have managed just one sixth-place finish since 1995, but have won the promotion play-offs as the second-lowest team to have qualified.
Willem II, on the other hand, were relegated one year after returning to the Eredivisie and have to settle for the third season in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie since 2022/23.
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