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Zainutdinov & Van der Heijden Lead Sheffield to EN2 Crown on Final Day

Posted by: OldSkopjeMgr, 2025-09-11, 2 Views

Sheffield broke open a scoreless match with 3 goals in a 6-minute span to bury Moscow, 3-1, and capture the Europe North 2nd Division title on the season's final day. The clubs had come into the match tied at 48 points after Sheffield collapsed Tuesday in a 1-0 loss to cellar-dwellers Aarhus. 


The Skulls' strike duo of Konstantin Zainutdinov and Eric Van der Heijden both scored in the barrage - fitting given the two finished with a combined 36 goals in all competitions. Zainutdinov's 21 goals this season are a club record, and he'll enter next season just 3 shy of club legend Rodrigo Schwager's career mark of 83. 

Zainutdinov, a 27-year-old Russian forward who has been at the club since he was 21, has scored double-digit goals now 5 seasons in a row and shot 46% on goal in that time. His 45 points this season are also a club record, and his 18 league goals were tops in D2 and tied for 2nd across all divisions. 

Van der Heijden's 10 league goals placed him 4th in D2. The 4-finish 26-year-old from Holland shot a career-best 49% on goal this season and added 8 assists. 

Sheffield's other goal came from young midfielder Kevin Pepper - who finished with 6 goals and 6 assists for the season. Just 23, Pepper had played in 50 matches the past 2 seasons, shooting a remarkable 0-for-26 on goal. This season, he reversed the wrath of the Sheffield fans, shooting 10-for-28 (36%) and he'll be a key piece as he enters his prime in whatever success Sheffield has upon returning to the top flight. 

Sheffield, which also survived to the semifinals of the EN Cup, won a D2 title for the 4th time. The Skulls also won the old 4th Division crown in S15. Sheffield's 45 goals were its most in the 26-game era, as were the club's 51 points. 

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