When a world champion plays against an Olympic champion, you as a sports fan want to be there. This is what many water polo fans think. Tickets for the training match between the women of the Netherlands and the United States in Neverdal have been sold out. But anyone who missed out on a ticket need not worry.
They didn't have to make much effort at Het Ravijn to attract enthusiasts to the Nijverdal pool. The match between world champion Netherlands and defending Olympic champion the United States sold itself. More than five hundred spectators are sitting in the seats on a Friday evening, enjoying the best that women's water polo currently has to offer.
From all directions
“Tickets sold out very quickly,” said Lisanne Zonder of the Heat Raven organizing committee. “And it's not just people from Neverdale and Twente. They come from all over the country. People who come from far away places were especially happy with the online ticket sales. However, it's no coincidence that they travel to Heat Raven.
Live broadcast with commentary
There are poor, but perhaps acceptable, amenities for those forced to remain in their homes. Het Ravijn presents a live broadcast of the match with expert commentary from Wicher Diallo, Het Ravijn's women's coach, and Pien Gorter, perhaps the greatest talent at the Nijverdal club. Gorter still plays for the Dutch youth team, but on Friday she will give her opinion on – perhaps – her future teammates in the first team.
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To the European Championships or not
Noa de Vries is currently Het Ravijn's only international player and will have the last chance to earn a selection place for the upcoming European Championships on Friday. One day later, national team coach Evangelos Dodisis reduced the squad from fifteen players to thirteen players, who will head to Eindhoven, where the European Championship begins on the fifth of next January.
The live broadcast will be announced on Friday via Het Ravijn's social media channels (Facebook and Instagram). The match starts at 7:30 p.m.
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