Feyenoord on match point – Curtain falls for Groningen – Ajax women champions
For those with a good heart for Feyenoord: meet at De Kuip or the Hofpleinfontein around 6:30 p.m. next week for the championship celebration. For other soccer fans: check out what awaits your favorite club in the 32nd round of play.
Thanks for following this liveblog and hope to see you next week! At least for the premier league…because Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday you can also join us again for the semi-finals of the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League (with AZ…)!
Feyenoord on match point after difficult win in Kralingen: reactions
No one doubts that Feyenoord will be the champions of the 2022/23 season. Coach Arne Slot’s team did not have an easy time on Excelsior’s sluggish turf, but they did win for the ninth time in a row. And so the fans can get ready for a big party in a churning Kuip next week.
Watch reactions from trainer Arne Slot, striker Santiago Gimenez and mercenary (and opponent today) Marouan Azarkan.
FOR-VIT | 90’+2 Heavy injury Buitink
Oh no, cold on the pitch things go wrong for Thomas Buitink. In dueling with another substitute – Dominik Oroz – he sprains himself and immediately knows it’s wrong. The striker leaves the field on a stretcher. A long rehabilitation will probably await him.
Fortuna has no substitutions left and so must continue with ten men.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 2-0
FOR-VIT | 85′ Buitink also gets to play for a while…at Fortuna
Thomas Buitink is also allowed to join Fortuna for a while against the club that leases him to the Limburgers. Together with Özyakup he enters the field for the final phase.
Vitesse still tries a bit and was just threatening with a header from Flamingo. But fair is fair, the Arnheimers showed very little this match.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 2-0
FOR-VIT | 76′ GOAL FORTUNA SITTARD
Úmaro Embaló seems to decide the match in Sittard. The Portuguese striker lashed out hard from the left flank, surprising Vitesse goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen in the short corner. Scherpen should have had this one.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 2-0
Meanwhile in England: Ødegaard worth his weight in gold again
Oh how Vitesse would have loved to have had a player like Martin Ødegaard on the pitch today. Of course, the Norwegian, who scored eight goals for the Arnheimers in the 2018/19 season, has long outgrown Vitesse. Indeed, as captain of Arsenal, he is one of the absolute standouts in the Premier League this season.
And he proved that again today. In the topper against Newcastle United, he signed for the only goal for the time being in the first half. It is already his fifth goal in the last five games. But there are still 45 minutes to play in northern England.
FOR-VIT | 69′ Huge header chance Bialek
Almost immediately it was a hit for Vitesse. Bialek could head in completely free after a sharp free kick from Wittek, but he headed the ball straight at goalkeeper Pandur.
Shortly before that, by the way, Fortuna defender Navarro had to quit the game with a knee injury. That didn’t look so good. The Greek Siovas is his replacement.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 1-0
FOR-VIT | 66′ Vitesse substitutes
Vitesse coach Phillip Cocu realizes that things are not going to work out this way. He brings Sankoh, Manhoef and Van Ginkel to the side. Bialek, Jonathans and Vidovic are their replacements.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 1-0
FOR-VIT | 60′ Vitesse lost north
After the 1-0, Fortuna wants to do business quickly and gets every opportunity to do so, as Vitesse seems to have completely lost the north. Although, not quite, as Flamingo slides a dangerous cross with an ultimate slide against the outside of his own post.
And then some frustration emerges as Isimat-Mirin grabs Noslin’s throat on the touchline. The Fortuna striker wanted to prevent Vitesse from taking a quick throw-in. But Isimat-Mirin’s reaction makes no sense. Referee Lindhout dismisses it with a thunderous sermon.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 1-0
FOR-VIT | 51′ GOAL FORTUNA SITTARD
Fortuna Sittard takes the lead against Vitesse! Micah Pinto delivers the cross after a deflected free kick, which is headed in unerringly by Paul Gladon: 1-0.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 1-0
Ajax women celebrate championship: reactions
“Ajax stands for taking prizes,” Sherida Spitse summed up the successful afternoon for the Amsterdammers in Zwolle. The captain was presented with the championship trophy by Victoria Pelova, who left for Arsenal during the winter break.
Not only Spitse showed her joy after the 6-1 win at PEC, so did two-time goal scorer Romeé Leuchter. “This cannot be described, I am SO happy,” Leuchter responded shortly after the game. “We did it today. I’m proud of the team.”
Read the reaction story and see reactions from Sherida Spitse, Romée Leuchter, Lize Kop and coach Suzanne Bakker. For Twente top shooter Fenna Kalma and captain Renate Jansen, the grapes were sour.
A quick look back at the Ajax women’s championship
Feyenoord still have to wait a week to win the national title, but today the Vitesse women were already drinking champagne. On the last matchday, the leaders won 6-1 against PEC Zwolle to secure the championship trophy.
Supreme Ajax women capture the national title for the first time since 2018
EXC-FEY | Match report and summary
The championship could not yet be celebrated due to PSV’s win at Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday (0-1), but Feyenoord could ensure that the title can be secured at De Kuip next week if they win at neighboring Excelsior. Thanks to two goals by Santiago Gimenez at Woudestein, they succeeded: 0-2.
Watch the summary of Excelsior – Feyenoord
GAE-GRO | Match report and summary
Since the play in Sittard is not improving this first half – although we did just see a clever shot by Bistrovic and an equally clever save by Vitesse goalkeeper Scherpen – it is best to look back at the games played earlier.
For example, FC Groningen’s 1-1 draw at Go Ahead Eagles. That sealed FC Groningen’s fate. The Pride of the North will play next season in the first division. Read the match report and watch the summary.
Watch the summary of Go Ahead Eagles – FC Groningen
FOT-VIT | 23′ What a blast from Wittek!
Last year in the Conference League against the likes of Stade Rennais, Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma, Maximilian Wittek showed that he has dynamite in his shoes. This season, the German left back rarely showed it, but this was another one hooray!
Wittek hits the ball full with the outside left and sees the ball hit the crossbar with a beautiful curve over goalkeeper Ivor Pandur. The highlight of this first half came in a phase when Fortuna just asserted themselves a bit more by the way.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 0-0
After 23 years, the curtain falls on premier league club FC Groningen
With the 1-1 in Deventer, the curtain has fallen for FC Groningen. After 23 seasons in the premier league, the pride of the North relegated to the second tier. Only six teams saw a longer stay at the highest level end.
46 – Sparta 2001/2002
41 – Roda JC 2013/2014
34 – Twente 2017/2018
25 – ADO 1981/1982
24 – Go Ahead 1986/1987
24 – Willem II 2010/2011
23 – Groningen 2022/2023
20 – MVV 1975/1976
20 – NEC 2013/2014
-
Pro Shots
Disappointment at FC Groningen after relegation. -
ANP
The players thank the fans traveling with them.
FOR-VIT | 10′ Vitesse punches the clock in Sittard
In the first ten minutes in Sittard, we see only one team on the attack. Vitesse does not give Fortuna a second on the ball and tries to become dangerous themselves, although the latter also succeeds only moderately.
It is still waiting for the first real chance.
Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse 0-0
Ajax’s soccer players may celebrate the championship, as the match in Zwolle is over. Ajax wins 6-1 and is thus – under the eyes of director Edwin van der Sar, honored. You can continue to watch all the festivities on the livestream.
Competitor FC Twente also wins, 2-1 against Feyenoord. But that doesn’t matter, then.
GAE-GRO | 90′ Degradation Groningen almost a fact
In Deventer, FC Groningen is in its death throes, at least in terms of its status as a premier league player. Anything less than a win means relegation. But actually the whole second half it is not Groningen the home team that is looking for the 2-1.
Unsuccessful for now, by the way.
Go Ahead Eagles – FC Groningen 1-1
FEY-EXC | 75′ GOAL FEYENOORD
Except for his first goal, we haven’t really seen anything from Santiago Gimenez,. But then he’s there again! He gets the ball in the loop from Timber and slides his second of the afternoon (and 14th of the season) past Van Gassel with ease.
Feyenoord fans can start looking forward to a championship match at De Kuip against Go Ahead Eagles.
Excelsior – Feyenoord 0-2
EXC-FEY | 63′ Substitutions on both sides: Timber back at Feyenoord, Ayoub at Excelsior
Arne Slot cannot possibly be satisfied with his pleog’s play after the convincing first ten minutes. Just after the hour, he brings Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Quinten Timber for Pixão and and Szymanski.
At Excelsior, former Feyenoord player Yassin Ayoub has come into the team for Azarkan. Striker Lazaros Lamprou, meanwhile, also entered the field for Julian Baas.
Excelsior – Feyenoord 0-1
EXC-FEY | 49′ Thanks for Bijlow
Feyenoord can thank Justin Bijlow. The goalkeeper saved his team twice at the start of the second half. First, he had to go all the way to dive a Driouch effort – which put Hartman and Idrissi to shame on the square meter – out of the corner. And then his save in the short corner on a shot by Goudmijn is perhaps even more crisp.
Reminds a bit of that famous save by Gordon Banks at the 1970 World Cup. But that’s for the romantics among us. It remains 1-0.
Excelsior – Feyenoord 0-1
EXC-FEY and GAE-GRO | Second half
The ball is rolling again at Excelsior-Feyenoord and Go Ahead Eagles – FC Groningen.
Excelsior – Feyenoord 0-1
Go Ahead Eagles – FC Groningen 1-1
Speaking of the nacompetition: NAC dreams of promotion
NAC Breda has clinched a spot in the playoffs for promotion to the premier league. Visiting Almere City, the Breda players had enough of a point, but took the full prize: 0-2.
For Almere City, the defeat was not a huge problem. Coach Alex Pastoor’s team had already qualified for the playoffs and still holds third place after the game with NAC.
NAC was still battling with FC Eindhoven, MVV, VVV and Telstar for a spot among the first eight. Because the gap with number nine Telstar is now nine points (with two games to go) that battle is now over.
PEC-AJA (V) | 44′ GOAL AJAX
The Ajax women are getting closer and closer to the national title, as Quinty Sabajo, on Leuchter’s cross, just put the team up 2-0 in Zwolle!
That second goal was welcome, as PEC did prove dangerous themselves: for example, Kops had to save on a hard shot and a header from close range.
GAE-GRO | 32′ What a chance for Willumsson
Shortly after Go Ahead Eagles’ 1-1 draw, the suffering for FC Groningen seemed to get even worse. Again it was Willumsson who was allowed to strike from a short distance from the Groningen goal, but this time goalkeeper Leeuwenburgh got in the way.
Go Ahead Eagles – FC Groningen 1-1
EXC-FEY | 35′ Momentary shock to Paixão
After Gimenez’s 1-0, not much actually happened at Excelsior-Feyenoord. Nevertheless, the many fans in all corners of the stadium were shocked. Igor Paixão collided with the ball and for a moment it was feared that he might have suffered a serious knee injury.
That doesn’t seem to be the case. The Brazilian is now back on the field and along the line after bahendeling.
Excelsior – Feyenoord 0-1
GAE-GRO | 30′ GOAL EAGLES
FC Groningen’s lead in Deventer did not last long, as the Icelander Willumsson made it 1-1. He rounded off after a clever attack: Adekanye sent Kuipers away in depth and the latter pulled the ball back to Willumsson.
Go Ahead Eagles – FC Groningen 1-1
TWE-FEY (V) | 14′ GOAL FEYENOORD
The title is starting to get out of sight for the FC Twente women, as Feyenoord just went ahead 1-0 at the Grolsch Veste. Goalie Daphne van Domselaar still had an answer to the first effort, but then is defenseless on Sabrine Ellouzi’s curve ball.
GAE-GRO | 6′ GOAL FC GRONINGEN
FC Groningen is relegated upon defeat in Deventer, but the team is not resigned to that just yet.
Indeed, within six minutes Ricardo Pepi tapped in the 1-0.
Go Ahead Eagles – FC Groningen 0-1
Meanwhile, the ball is rolling in Kralingen, where Feyenoord – wearing white shorts and stockings for the occasion – are playing the ball around. The upcoming champions look remarkably relaxed, a big contrast to 2017. But yes, they also know that today the title cannot be won yet.
Also in Deventer, the ball is rolling at FC Groningen
Vlap’s second was the final highlight in Emmen, where the game is over. Twente books its fourth away win this season, Emmen must start a houdini act to avoid the nacompetition. Or hope for failing rivals.
EMM-TWE | 90’+2 GOAL FC TWENTE
For a long, long time, Michel Vlap just couldn’t find the net. But now he just made his second of the match. He slides the ball into the far corner on Cleonise’s pass.
With that, he seals only Twente’s fourth away win this season.
EXC-FEY | Setup Feyenoord
Quinten Timber starts on the bench against Excelsior. Mats Wieffer starts, as usual, centrally in midfield, so also against his old club Excelsior. Gernot Trauner is missing.
It seems as if Emmen do not realize that a win today could be worth gold to avoid the nacompetition. Things are still pretty sluggish at De Oude Meerdijk and so is FC Twente for that matter.
We did just see a clever move by Zivkovic, who took the Twente goal under fire from an awkward angle on the fists of goalkeeper Unnerstall. Trainer Dick Lukkien did hope for some more punch in the closing stages with substitute Oussama Darfalou. The Algerian striker comes on for Jeremy Antonisse.
EMM-TWE | 55′ Human chain for Brenet’s chain
The second half in Emmen also started – how shall we put it – sluggishly. A memorable moment we just saw when Joshua Brenet was ordered by the arbitration to take off his necklace. The piece of jewelry then went from hand to hand towards the Twente bench.
So a human chain for a gold chain.
EMM-TWE | 38′ Pleguezuelo wants penalty
Julio Pleguezuelo raises his hands to heaven out of indignation. The Spanish Twente central defender believes that his shot did not reach the Emmen goal because the hand of Emmen colleague Araujo was between them. And he did, but the Peruvian, who turned his back, really couldn’t do much about it.
That’s what referee Martin van den Kerkhof thinks, too.
EMM-TWE | 31′ Third chance also wasted on Cerny
Emmen’s wave of attacks has subsided again and then suddenly we see another huge chance for Twente. For the third time already this game it is Cerny who gets the chance, but fails to make the most of it. The attack was very nice though: Cerny played in Ugalde, who with a handy handball put Cerny free in front of goal. It was a one-two, but the result was just short of a goal.
EMM-TWE | Message from Almelo
Just before the game, by the way, the guests from Twente were welcomed (we suspect) by a small plane, with behind it the text “See you soon at Erve Asito. That, of course, is a reference to Heracles Almelo’s promotion last week.
And perhaps it’s also a reference to last year, when supporters of FC Twente’s hard core sent teasing text about the neighbor’s relegation flying through the air. That bodes well for next season!
EMM-TWE | 10′ Outsleepers need not hurry
The first ten minutes in Emmen are not anything to write home about. Nothing has happened yet that is really worth reporting. However, as we write this, Vaclav Cerny shows himself twice: first with a slide that changes direction, forcing Emmen goalkeeper Mickey van der Hart to the ground. And then with a shot just wide.
Other highlights from this opening phase: Ole Romeny (Emmen) tripping himself and Robin Pröpper giving teammate Virgil Misidjan a panna. In short, the battle has yet to erupt at De Oude Meerdijk.
Emmen coach Dick Lukkien already knows that he will be a trainer in the first division next year. At least, today the verdict may fall on his new club FC Groningen. And although his current club is now still in the safe 15th spot, but the remaining four duels are lead, and lead heavy.
Much heavier than the direct competitors, with Volendam and Excelsior even playing each other on the last matchday.
Remaining program
| 16. Excelsior (28 pnt) | 15. FC Emmen (28 pnt) | 14. FC Volendam (30 pnt) | 13. Vitesse (31 pnt) |
| Feyenoord (home) | FC Twente (home) | Fortuna Sittard (away) | |
| Heerenveen (away) | AZ (away) | Sparta (home) | Cambuur (home) |
| Fortuna Sittard (home) | Feyenoord (home) | Go Ahead Eagles (away) | FC Groningen (home) |
| FC Volendam (away) | FC Utrecht (away) | Excelsior (home) | Feyenoord (away) |
Women’s premier league denouement live on NOS.nl
Fireworks on the final matchday of the women’s premier league? The gap between leader Ajax and pursuer FC Twente is one point.
The Amsterdammers can take the national title on a visit to PEC Zwolle, but cannot afford a slip-up. FC Twente hosts Feyenoord, must win and then hope for a slip by Ajax.
Both matches can be followed live on NOS.nl from 2:30 pm.
Van Bronckhorst on mounting championship stress: ‘Does a lot to the city’
It can hardly be a coincidence. Exactly six years ago, on May 7, 2017, in the same stadium as now, the Van Donge & De Roo Stadium, Feyenoord could have become national champions by winning from Excelsior. Then things went wrong. Championship stress, according to then coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
“The mental part, because you see what it does to a city,” Van Bronckhorst said made it difficult. Feyenoord had been waiting 18 years for a title. “The deception was huge.” A week later, against Heracles Almelo (3-1 win), it more than made up for it.
PSV’s win against Excelsior this afternoon means Feyenoord cannot yet become official champions, but if they win, only a miracle can keep the Rotterdammers from the title.
Van Bronckhorst on championship stress in 2017: ‘Yes, that did something to players’
Good morning! Four matches in the premier league today. Leaders Feyenoord hoped to celebrate the championship already today, but due to PSV’s win at Sparta, the Rotterdammers still have to be patient. A win at city rival Excelsior this afternoon is the goal anyway.
At FC Groningen they are less cheerful, because in Deventer this afternoon the curtain could fall if there is no win at Go Ahead Eagles. However, we start in Emmen, where the stakes are high for both the home team and the visiting FC Twente.
The denouement of the women’s premier league can also be seen live on NOS.nl. Will it be Ajax or FC Twente?
Follow all developments on the fields in our liveblog!
