PEC Zwolle took a big step towards enforcement in the Eredivisie on Saturday evening. At home, coach Johnny Jansen's team was too strong for Excelsior 2-1. As a result, the gap between number fourteen PEC and number sixteen Excelsior has grown to nine points. PEC therefore seems safe, while the play-offs are getting closer for the Kralingers.

Jansen made only one change to his starting eleven compared to the 5-1 loss to FC Utrecht earlier this week. The injured Davy van den Berg was replaced by Odysseus Velanas.

On the Excelsior side, Sven Nieuwpoort returned to the starting line-up, at the expense of Mimeirhel Benita. The injured Couhaib Driouech was replaced by Richie Omorowa.

Early in the match, both teams had an excellent opportunity to open the scoring. However, Lazaros Lamprou shot wide in a promising position, while Bram van Polen shot over in a hurry on the other side of the field.

A few minutes later, Lennart Thy seemed to score the 1-0 on a pass from Velanas, but his goal was disallowed for offside. After Eliano Reijnders shot just wide after an excellent slalom, it became 1-0 in the eighteenth minute: Anselmo García Mac Nulty tapped in after a corner.

In the meantime, Excelsior barely managed to create anything and almost fell further behind in the second half. Goalkeeper Stijn van Gassel choked on a back pass from Julian Baas, after which the ball rolled against the post.

When Velanas made it 2-0 moments later by going in and finishing, it was clear that it would be a difficult story for Excelsior. With a goal from a corner, Lance Duijvestijn made it 2-1 just before the end, but the Rotterdam team did not get any further.

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