1 – 5
“Marco Rente gives Groningen an early lead with a right-footed finish from the centre of the box”
Pivotal“Irakli Yegoian converts a penalty to level the match at 1-1 after Jorg Schreuders fouled Ágúst Thorsteinsson”
Pivotal“Stijn van Gassel turns the ball into his own net under pressure from a Groningen corner, handing the visitors the lead again”
Pivotal“Thom van Bergen scores from the spot after a VAR-awarded penalty to make it 3-1”
Pivotal“Marco Rente completes his brace with a late goal to make it 5-1 in stoppage time”
Excelsior
FC Groningen
Outstanding performance
FC Groningen•DefenderGroningen were ruthlessly efficient, converting just 9 shots on target into five goals while Excelsior managed only 2 from 16 attempts despite dominating dangerous attacks 46-30. The visitors struck early through Marco Rente, survived a brief Excelsior fightback sparked by Irakli Yegoian's penalty, then turned the game decisively with Stijn van Gassel's own goal just two minutes later. A second penalty for Thom van Bergen and a clinical finish from Brynjólfur Willumsson in a chaotic five-minute spell either side of the hour mark blew the game apart, before Rente's second goal in stoppage time rubber-stamped the scoreline. For Excelsior, sitting in a relegation battle, this is a damaging result that exposes defensive fragility, while Groningen's six big chances created show a clinical edge that will boost their title credentials.
How entertaining was this match?
Kasey Bos from Excelsior is awarded a free kick in the defensive half.
Excelsior wins a corner after Thijmen Blokzijl concedes.
Márk Csinger from Groningen commits a foul.
Daniël van Vianen from Excelsior is awarded a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Alireza Jahanbakhsh from Excelsior takes a left-footed shot from outside the box, but it goes high and wide to the left. Kasey Bos provided the assist with a cross.
Márk Csinger from Groningen is awarded a free kick on the left wing.
Foul committed by Rick Meissen of Excelsior.
Attempt blocked. Irakli Yegoian from Excelsior has his right-footed shot from the left side of the box blocked. Valentin Sulzbacher provided the assist.
Mario Domínguez's left-footed shot from the center of the box is blocked. The attempt was assisted by Valentin Sulzbacher.
Substitution for Groningen: Ryan Metu comes on for Thom van Bergen.
Substitution for Groningen: Oskar Zawada comes on for David van der Werff.
Kasey Bos from Excelsior commits a handball.
Substitution for Groningen: Nils Eggens comes on for Brynjólfur Willumsson.
Irakli Yegoian from Excelsior has a right-footed shot from outside the box, but it is blocked.
Attempt missed. Kasey Bos from Excelsior takes a left-footed shot from outside the box, but it goes too high.
Tygo LandYellow CardTygo Land from Groningen receives a yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution for Excelsior: Alireza Jahanbakhsh comes on for Aymen Sliti.
Attempt saved. Daniël van Vianen from Excelsior has his right-footed shot from the center of the box saved by Etienne Vaessen from Groningen, who is positioned in the center of the goal.
Foul committed by Tygo Land of Groningen.
Irakli Yegoian from Excelsior is awarded a free kick on the left wing.
Foul committed by David van der Werff of Groningen.
Aymen Sliti from Excelsior is awarded a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Valentin Sulzbacher from Excelsior heads the ball from the center of the box but misses to the left. Jan Plug provided the assist with a cross.
Substitution for Groningen: Márk Csinger comes on for Hans Hateboer.
Foul committed by Hans Hateboer from Groningen.
Irakli Yegoian from Excelsior wins a free kick in the defensive half.
assist: Pelle Clement
Goal! Groningen leads 4-1 against Excelsior. Brynjólfur Willumsson scores with a right-footed shot from the center of the box into the high center of the goal, assisted by Pelle Clement.
Substitution for Groningen: Tygo Land comes on for Jacob Ondrejka.
Attempt missed. Mario Domínguez from Excelsior takes a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it goes too high.
Substitution for Excelsior: Kasey Bos replaces Simon Janssen.
Substitution for Excelsior: Mario Domínguez comes on for David Garden.
Substitution for Excelsior: Daniël van Vianen comes on for Ágúst Thorsteinsson.
Substitution for Excelsior: Valentin Sulzbacher replaces Eric da Silva Moreira.
Delay is over, and they are ready to continue.
Goal! Groningen leads 3-1 against Excelsior. Thom van Bergen scores for Groningen with a right-footed shot into the high center of the goal.
Delay in the match for Excelsior.
VAR decision results in a penalty for Groningen.
Penalty awarded to Groningen as Jorg Schreuders is fouled in the penalty area.
Eric da Silva Moreira of Excelsior concedes a penalty after committing a foul in the penalty area.
Thom van Bergen from Groningen is awarded a free kick on the left wing.
Aymen Sliti from Excelsior commits a foul.
Foul committed by Jorg Schreuders of Groningen.
Ágúst Thorsteinsson from Excelsior wins a free kick on the left wing.
Tika de Jonge from Groningen wins a free kick in the defensive half.
David Garden commits a foul for Excelsior.
Attempt saved. Jorg Schreuders from Groningen has his right-footed shot from the right side of the box saved in the bottom right corner by Stijn van Gassel of Excelsior. The assist came from David van der Werff.
Thom van Bergen from Groningen is awarded a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul committed by Ágúst Thorsteinsson of Excelsior.
The second half begins with Excelsior trailing Groningen 1-2.
Attempt blocked. Jorg Schreuders from Groningen has a right-footed shot from the right side of the box that is blocked. He was assisted by Brynjólfur Willumsson.
First half ends with Excelsior trailing Groningen 2-1.
The fourth official has indicated there will be 2 minutes of added time.
Foul committed by Hans Hateboer of Groningen.
Eric da Silva Moreira from Excelsior wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Casper Widell from Excelsior heads the ball from very close range but it goes too high. Simon Janssen provided the assist with a cross after a corner.
Excelsior is awarded a corner after Tika de Jonge concedes it.
Attempt blocked. David Garden from Excelsior has a right-footed shot from the right side of the box that is blocked. Aymen Sliti provided the assist.
Thom van Bergen from Groningen is awarded a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul committed by Eric da Silva Moreira of Excelsior.
Own goal by Stijn van Gassel for Excelsior. The score is now Excelsior 1, Groningen 2.
Groningen wins a corner after Eric da Silva Moreira concedes.
Goal in the penalty shootout! Irakli Yegoian scores for Excelsior with a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner. The match remains 1-1, and Excelsior now have 1 penalty scored.
Penalty awarded to Excelsior as Ágúst Thorsteinsson is fouled in the penalty area.
Jorg Schreuders from Groningen concedes a penalty after committing a foul in the penalty area.
Offside called against Excelsior. Rick Meissen is caught offside.
Excelsior wins a corner, conceded by Jorg Schreuders.
Foul committed by Tika de Jonge of Groningen.
Ágúst Thorsteinsson from Excelsior wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Aymen Sliti from Excelsior takes a left-footed shot from outside the box, but it goes to the right after a fast break.
Thom van Bergen from Groningen has a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it's saved in the bottom left corner by Stijn van Gassel from Excelsior. The attempt was assisted by Jacob Ondrejka.
Attempt blocked. Pelle Clement from Groningen has a right-footed shot from outside the box that is blocked. Marco Rente provided the assist.
Groningen wins a corner after Rick Meissen concedes.
Attempt missed. Tika de Jonge from Groningen heads the ball from the left side of the six-yard box, but it goes high and wide to the left. Jacob Ondrejka provided the assist with a cross following a corner.
David van der WerffYellow CardDavid van der Werff from Groningen receives a yellow card for a bad foul.
David van der Werff from Groningen commits a foul.
Aymen Sliti from Excelsior wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Thijmen Blokzijl's header from the left side of the six-yard box for Groningen is blocked. Jacob Ondrejka provided the assist with a cross.
Groningen is awarded a corner after Lennard Hartjes concedes.
Groningen wins a corner after Eric da Silva Moreira concedes.
Corner awarded to Groningen after Stijn van Gassel concedes.
Attempt saved. Brynjólfur Willumsson from Groningen has his right-footed shot from the center of the box saved in the top center of the goal by Stijn van Gassel from Excelsior. The chance was assisted by David van der Werff with a through ball.
Foul committed by Pelle Clement of Groningen.
Irakli Yegoian from Excelsior wins a free kick in the defensive half.
David Garden commits a foul for Excelsior.
Etienne Vaessen from Groningen is awarded a free kick in the defensive half.
David Garden's right-footed shot from outside the box for Excelsior is blocked. The attempt was assisted by Casper Widell.
Attempt blocked. Eric da Silva Moreira from Excelsior has his right-footed shot from the center of the box blocked.
David Garden's right-footed shot from the center of the box is blocked. He was assisted by Irakli Yegoian with a headed pass.
Jorg Schreuders from Groningen is awarded a free kick in the defensive half.
Ágúst Thorsteinsson from Excelsior commits a foul.
Aymen Sliti from Excelsior has a left-footed shot from the right side of the box, but it is blocked.
Goal! Groningen takes the lead 1-0 against Excelsior as Marco Rente scores with a right-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom left corner.
Attempt saved. Jacob Ondrejka from Groningen has a right-footed shot from the left side of the box, but it's saved in the bottom left corner by Stijn van Gassel from Excelsior. The assist comes from Thom van Bergen.
Pelle Clement from Groningen wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul committed by Eric da Silva Moreira of Excelsior.
Aymen Sliti from Excelsior is awarded a free kick on the right wing.
Foul committed by Hans Hateboer of Groningen.
First half begins.
