Lots of opportunities, VAR moments, injuries and goals. The duel between RKC Waalwijk and PEC Zwolle was a relegation cracker in terms of level, but at the same time also a match where the neutral spectator did not have to get bored. RKC would have preferred it differently, because at home it left the field with a 0-2 defeat.
It wasn’t good, either way. But enough happened in the Mandemakers Stadium in Waalwijk, where the majority of the supporters of PEC Zwolle came into the box shortly after the kick-off.
As both teams made mistakes and were sloppy, both sides created opportunities. RKC player Ayman Azhil had the first big chance after eight minutes. On a pass from Jens Odgaard, he hurriedly shot the ball over. On the stroke of half-time, teammate Richard van der Venne also had a huge opportunity to score. He was allowed to shoot freely from about ten meters, but a good reaction from Kostas Lamprou prevented a goal from Waalwijk.
RKC was already looking at a backlog at that time. After just over fifteen minutes, PEC Zwolle took the lead. Thomas van den Belt was given plenty of time to lay out about twenty meters. Keeper Etienne Vaessen had no answer to the midfielder’s low shot.
VAR moments
Although the scoreboard was 0-1, it took a few minutes before the kick-off also followed. The PEC Zwolle fans sang ‘play soccer, play soccer, play soccer’. The RKC fans looked with surprise and hope at referee Jochem Kamphuis, who had to wait for the VAR in Zeist. After a long time, Kamphuis pointed to the center spot, he did not have to look at VAR Rob Dieperink and it was a valid goal.
Shortly after the break, the VAR intervened. Kamphuis gave Daishawn Redan a yellow card for a schwalbe, but on Dieperink’s advice he went back to look back at the images of the crash. He came back from his decision. No dud, but a foul by Ahmed Touba: penalty for PEC. Captain Bram van Polen went behind the ball and without a doubt shot the ball against the ropes.
After the 0-2, the game certainly didn’t get any better. But even now there were opportunities for RKC to at least make the connection goal. Michiel Kramer, the replacement for the injured Odgaard, was not sharp enough with Lamprou in the greatest RKC chance after the break. The home team also tried to get back into the game at the end of the game, but they barely managed to get through the defensive wall of Zwolle.
Relegation Concerns
RKC could have done itself a very good service. With a win over PEC Zwolle it would have been almost safe. The gap with that team would then have grown to eight points in favor of the formation of trainer Joseph Oosting. Now the people of Zwolle have risen to sixteenth place due to the win and they have only two points less. With four games left to play, the relegation stress can suddenly strike hard at RKC.
The gap with Sparta Rotterdam and Willem II, the teams that are currently in a place that means direct relegation, is now three and five points. The Tilburg team has played one game less, they will play against Vitesse on Sunday afternoon. In the last weeks of the competition, RKC still plays at home against FC Groningen and Heracles Almelo and it still has to go to SC Cambuur and AZ.