Today’s early kick off was a clash between in-form side PEC Zwolle and rich boys Vitesse Arnhem. After a last minute winner against FC Utrecht last week, it seems almost scripted that Zwolle would win in the same fashion this week. They kept up their 100% record in the league so far by taking all three points away from an exciting young Vitesse side. Despite their Europa League qualifier with Sparta Prague midweek, this Zwolle side really looked on top of their game in the closing stages of the match. However, the game was Vitesse’s to lose, and they did. Based on recent form, Zwolle were definitely the favourites heading into the game, although Vitesse had won all 4 of the sides previous encounters. PEC Zwolle lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, utilising Tomas Necid’s aerial ability as a lone striker. Vitesse used a popular 4-3-3 formation, with a midfield 3 of Leerdam, Vejinovic and Pröpper. They also gave a start to Chelsea loanee Bertrand Traore, who was forced off through injury in the first half.
Vitesse started the first half as the better side, and were using their fast pace to counter attack with major success. Kazaishvili and Traore forced saves out of Diederik Boer, but the 33 year old wasn’t truly tested until the 23rd minute. This was when Davy Pröpper struck from the edge of the box, and the ball took a cruel deflection before slipping through Boer’s grasp. It was only minutes after the opening goal when Kelvin Leerdam had the chance to double Vitesse’s lead. Despite being through on goal and one on one with the keeper, he lost his balance before striking and produced a tame effort that bounced wide of Boer’s goal. The exciting, fluid football was ruined by a scrap between the two sides on the 40 minute mark, in which Pröpper and Van Polen departed from with yellow cards. On the stroke of half time, Kazaishvili pulled an acrobatic save out of Boer, as his shot was heading for the top corner. Going into half time, Vitesse were dominant, and there seemed to be no way back for Zwolle if they continued to play in this manner.
PEC Zwolle carried on hurling crosses into their only attacking option, the target man Necid. It was only mid-way through the second half when Necid was replaced by Stef Nijland and Zwolle revitalised their game and used a more direct approach. Directly after this substitution was made, van der Werff took a costless kick, which (once again) took a wicked deflection and trickled into the back of the Vitesse net. Room, who hadn’t yet had a save to make, could do nothing about stopping the goal after the ball ricocheted in this manner. This was the turning point of the second half, and Vitesse kept losing the ball in the centre of the park. In the 88th minute, Vitesse were once again dispossessed, this time deeper into their own half. Lukoki capitalised on this mistake, and threaded a ball through to substitute Stef Nijland, who produced a spectacular finish at the near post. This wrapped up all 3 points for Zwolle, making it 3 out of 3 wins for them. Vitesse will feel ashamed not to take all three points, and they still find themselves without a league win since March.
