Highlighted: Oliver Antman on Fire
Go Ahead Eagles fans are on cloud nine—and it doesn’t look like they’ll be coming down anytime soon. The KNVB Cup final on April 21 is circled in red on their calendars, set to be the highlight of the season. But in the meantime, the team from Deventer keeps pushing forward, playing great football and scoring goals for fun. One player leading the charge? Oliver Antman, who is in red-hot form.
Shot After Shot, Yet a Close Call in Nijmegen
Last Sunday, Go Ahead Eagles made things more exciting than they needed to against N.E.C., despite completely dominating the game. The team fired an incredible 27 shots, with 20 coming from inside the penalty box. This was their highest shot count in an away game this century—a rare achievement in the Eredivisie. As shown in the table below, only PSV managed to take 20+ shots inside the box in an away game this season (22 against Heracles Almelo and 20 against Almere City, both in August).
Go Ahead Eagles Becoming a Scoring Machine
Under head coach Paul Simonis, Go Ahead Eagles have become an attacking force. This Eredivisie season, they’ve already netted 46 goals—their second-highest total after 25 matches, only behind the 51 goals scored in 1968/69. As seen in the table below, their current scoring average stands at 1.84 goals per game, their best since the 1980/81 season (1.85). Their recent form highlights this attacking power: they’ve scored three times against both PSV and N.E.C. If they find the net three times again this weekend, they will match a club record set in 1981.
| Season | Goals per match |
|---|---|
|
1967/68 |
1,91 |
|
1968/69 |
1,85 |
|
1980/81 |
1,85 |
|
2024/25 |
1,84 |
|
1981/82 |
1,71 |
Oliver Antman Stepping Up for Go Ahead Eagles
Several Go Ahead Eagles players have been making a name for themselves this season. Oliver Edvardsen secured a top transfer, Jakob Breum was named Talent of the Month, and captain Mats Deijl has been a true leader on the pitch. But recently, one player has stolen the spotlight: Oliver Antman. In his last three matches, he’s been directly involved in six goals (3 goals, 3 assists). With his pace, movement, and technical ability, he’s a constant threat for defenders—and his incredible work rate makes him even more valuable to the team.
Antman Among Europe’s Best
Since December 2024, Oliver Antman has been one of the most productive players in Europe. In the Eredivisie, he’s been directly involved in 13 goals (5 goals, 8 assists), more than any other player in the league. As shown in the table below, only Mohamed Salah (28), Alexander Isak (18), and Ousmane Dembélé (16) have more goal contributions across Europe’s top six leagues during this period. Even more impressively, Antman is on par with Kylian Mbappé, who also has 13 goal involvements in the same timeframe.
| Player | League | Goals | Assists | G+A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mohamed Salah |
Premier League |
17 |
11 |
28 |
|
Alexander Isak |
Premier League |
15 |
3 |
18 |
|
Ousmane Dembélé |
Ligue 1 |
15 |
1 |
16 |
|
Oliver Antman |
Eredivisie |
5 |
8 |
13 |
|
Kylian Mbappé |
La Liga |
11 |
2 |
13 |
Antman’s incredible form visualized: since December, he’s been directly involved in 13 Eredivisie goals (5 goals, 8 assists). His pace and precision make him a constant danger for any defense.
One More Game Before the International Break
With numbers like these, it’s no surprise that Finland has once again called up Oliver Antman for their upcoming international matches against Malta and Lithuania. But before heading off, he has one more chance to shine in De Adelaarshorst this weekend, as newly promoted Willem II comes to town. Don’t miss any Eredivisie action—watch it live on ESPN Netherlands or check your local broadcaster for coverage outside the Netherlands!
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