PEC Zwolle has done excellent things to get away from the bottom places in the Eredivisie. The match against Almere City FC in the MAC3PARK stadium was difficult, but thanks to an own goal by James Lawrence, the Zwolle team did keep the three points at home (1-0).
Sunday afternoon could have started excellently for PEC Zwolle. Because within half a minute there was a huge opportunity for Younes Namli. The captain, in the starting line-up for the first time, received the ball from Dylan Vente on a silver platter. The striker, in turn, had taken the ball from the lingering Almere keeper Nordin Bakker. Namli could have scored, but saw his attempt turned away on the line by defender Ricardo Visus of Almere.
Ball on the crossbar
So it wasn’t a dream start and that liberating goal didn’t come in the first half either. PEC was superior and also the most threatening, but they were unable to score. There were some chances and many corner kicks. And Filip Krastev saw a cross hit the crossbar. Almere had little to offer in return. A roller from Thom Haye from about twenty-five meters was easy prey for Jasper Schendelaar.
The first big chance after the break was for Thomas Robinet, the man who scored the only goal in Zwolle last season in the confrontation between the two teams. This time he cleverly got between Simon Graves and Schendelaar on a long ball, but the goalkeeper made a skilful save. It led to a restless phase in Zwolle. Almere had more of the ball and PEC only came close to the enemy goal sporadically.
Own goal
The most important achievement for a long time was a shot from Namli that went over. Vente also found himself in a promising position once again, but he turned in the wrong direction. Just over ten minutes before the end, PEC Zwolle took the lead and they could thank James Lawrence for that. The Almere defender received Damian van der Haar’s cross, intended for Jamiro Monteiro. The ball rolled painfully slowly past goalkeeper Bakker: 1-0.
In the final phase it was mainly referee Sander van der Eijk who was in charge. The leader threw yellow cards. There were hardly any opportunities and exciting moments, also because the game came to a standstill with some regularity. But when Van der Eijk blew the final whistle, none of that mattered anymore. The second win of the season has been won and three very important points are on board.
Next Sunday, PEC Zwolle will visit SC Heerenveen in Friesland. Kick-off is at 2:30 PM.
PEC Zwolle – Almere City FC: 1-0 (0-0).
Spectators: 13.492
Referee: Van der Eijk
Yellow cards: El Azzouzi, Vente (PEC Zwolle), Robinet, Akujobi, Providence and Visus (Almere City FC)
Setups
PEC Zwolle: Schendelaar, Floranus, Graves (88th Fichtinger), Mac Nulty, Van der Haar, El Azzouzi, Van den Berg (69th De Rooij), Monteiro, Namli (69th Velanas), Vente, Krastev (58th Mbayo)
Almere City FC: Bakker, Visus (90+3. Jacobs), Tahiri (82. Providence), Robinet, Kadile, Zagaritis, Lawrence, Hansen (46. Delaurier-Chaubet), Haye (65. Carbonell), Akujobi, Guillame (46. Ritmeester van de Kamp)
Score progression:
78. Lawrence (e.d.) 1-0
MatchWorks Man of the Match:
Jamiro Monteiro
