Match Report
The table read 9th (FC Groningen, 48 pts) against 13th (Excelsior, 38 pts), 10 points apart. Excelsior had been over-performing their table position on recent form: 3rd in the league over the last five rounds against 13th overall. Against a league average of 1.59 goals per team per game, FC Groningen ran at 1.44 scored and 1.32 conceded, Excelsior at 1.26 and 1.65.
The head-to-head ledger counts 19 games: 11 FC Groningen wins, 4 for Excelsior, 4 draws, at 2.58 goals per meeting. Historically tight: 32% of the meetings went beyond two goals.
With 100 matches recorded and 1.5 yellow cards per game, I. Oostrom was the man in the middle. The venue was Euroborg in Groningen, with room for 22,525 spectators. On the scoreboard, it was 1-1 at the break; 3 second-half goals set the final 2-3.
Goal scorers
FC Groningen: Tika de Jonge (3'), Younes Taha (47') · Excelsior: Casper Widell (40'), Derensili Sanches Fernandes (65'), Gyan de Regt (90')
Key stats
Possession: FC Groningen 56% · Excelsior 44% · Total shots: 12-18 · On target: 5-9 · Corners: 5-8