PEC Zwolle booked a big practice win two weeks before the start of the competition. The team of trainer/coach Johnny Jansen was too strong for De Graafschap on Friday evening in the MAC3PARK stadium with 5-0.
Early goal
The audience could cheer quickly, because in the eighth minute Oly Velanas opened the score. With a shot in the far corner he left goalkeeper Ties Wieggers without a chance: 1-0. The game ebbed and flowed in the opening phase, but the second goal of the evening was also made by Zwolle. Filip Krastev was taken down in the penalty area after a great dribble and from the subsequent penalty Thomas Buitink doubled the lead. As the first half progressed, the Blauwvingers continued to play strongly and that led to more threats. Krastev came close to making it 3-0 just before half-time, but he shot the ball hard against the crossbar.
Brilliant attack
The first goal of the second half came from a brilliant attack by PEC Zwolle. The ball was passed around the team beautifully and after a few combinations Davy van den Berg was able to crown the attack with the 3-0. At the end of the match substitutes Anthony Fontana and Tolis Vellios made the crowd cheer twice more and thus ensured a 5-0 final score.
PEC Zwolle line-up: Schendelaar, Lutonda, El Azzouzi, Van den Berg (83. Gijselhart), Lam (62. Fichtinger), Garcia-Mac Nulty (83. Van der Haar), Velanas (83. Fontana), Manu (46. De Rooij), Buitink (48. Vellios), Gooijer (46. Reijnders), Krastev (62. Oukhattou)
De Graafschap’s line-up: Wieggers, Hardeman, Hillen, Fortes, Buttner, Warmerdam, Brittijn, Yadir (74. Eijken), Van Gilst (83. Bouhekan), El Kadiri (74. Grotenhuis), Van de Haar
Scoring progression:
8. Velan 1-0
21. Household 2-0
54. Van den Berg 3-0
87. Fontana 4-0
88. Vellios 5-0
