Excelsior takes full advantage of Cambuur shootout and strong first half

Excelsior did themselves a good service. The Rotterdammers sank to the relegation zone with a 4-1 victory over bottom club SC Cambuur in the premier league and now know three clubs below them again.

Number seventeen FC Groningen, who had lost to sc Heerenveen earlier in the day, are six points behind, while the margin with Cambuur is now seven points.

Excelsior had come out of the winter break with two wins in the first three duels of the new year. But the one point picked up from the last eight games had sent the Kralingers into a free fall: from 11th to 16th place.

And at least as worrying for Excelsior: in that series, the enemy net was found only twice. However, the home team, after goalkeeper Stijn van Gassel had kept a Bjørn Johnsen header out of the Rotterdam goal, soon got Frisian help. In duplicate still.

Goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter got his own defense into trouble when defending, from which Kenzo Goudmijn eagerly profited with a targeted slide.

And in the tenth minute an unsuccessful header by Nikolas Agrafiotis disappeared through the legs of the surprised Ruiter into the goal via the upper leg of Cambuur defender Leon Bergsma: 2-0.

That appeared to break the spell, as the third Excelsior goal did not take long to come either. A free kick from the side by 21-year-old Feyenoord loanee Marouan Azarkan, back from injury, ended up with Siebe Horemans in the twentieth minute, who was able to score easily from close range.

And still the cake was not over for the home team in the first half: after beautiful preparatory work by Azarkan, called up for Young Morocco for the first time, Lazaros Lamprou rounded off with a volley: 4-0. At the other end, Navarone Foor was unlucky as his free kick hit the post.

With some offensive substitutions at halftime, Cambuur coach Sjors Ultee made an audacious attempt to still turn the tide. That soon had an effect, when Alex Bangura shot a ball pulled back by substitute Robin Maulun behind Van Gassel.

The captain’s 1-4 promptly brought some belief back to the guests. A slide by Jamie Jacobs could be turned with difficulty by Van Gassel with two legs.

There was no serious overtaking, however, although the Frisians were spared more misery as Horemans headed against the post and Agrafiotis almost chased a penalty kick out of the stadium.