Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 9:54 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme

PEC Zwolle booked a crucial victory in the Eredivisie on Saturday evening. The team of trainer Dick Schreuder visited competitor RKC Waalwijk with 0-2 too strong due to goals from Thomas van den Belt and Bram van Polen. The latter has become the club’s top scorer with five goals with his goal. With the victory, PEC climbs to sixteenth place in the ranking and comes with 26 points from 30 games, two points from RKC Waalwijk, which is fourteenth.

Those who had bet in advance on a draw between RKC and PEC Zwolle had the best chance of winning at the betting offices. No fewer than seven of the last eight meetings between the two clubs ended in a draw, including the last three in Waalwijk. The first achievement of the match came from PEC. After a low cross by Kenneth Paal, Gervane Kastaneer just failed to get the ball past Etienne Vaessen. At the second moment of excitement it was hit. After an attack from the left, the ball landed on a silver platter for Van den Belt, who controlled the ball from the edge of the penalty area into the left corner: 0-1.

Not long after the opening goal, RKC was again hit hard, as striker and tastemaker Jens Odgaard had to leave the field injured. His place in the point of the attack was taken by Michiel Kramer. After a better start by PEC, the game dragged on without both teams creating great opportunities. On the stroke of half-time, the home team seemed to be level, when Richard van der Venne suddenly appeared in front of Kostas Lamprou’s goal. The midfielder had the ball before shooting, but failed to choose a corner. In the second act, Daishawn Redan quickly provided some entertainment as the striker went to the ground after a duel with Ahmed Touba.

Referee Jochem Kamphuis initially drew a yellow card for a swim, but was called to the screen by the VAR and reversed his decision by awarding a penalty to PEC. Captain Van Polen claimed responsibility and signed for his fifth goal of the season. RKC also failed to make a fist in the second half. A shot by Kramer was the most dangerous moment of the second half for the Brabant team, while Vaessen had to act on a bet by Kastaneer. The last moment of the match, a shot from about twenty meters from Redan, ended one meter wide of RKC’s goal.