Excelsior 1-5 FC Groningen: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings

How FC Groningen won it

Marco Rente put FC Groningen ahead in the 7th minute. Excelsior levelled at 1-1 in the 36th minute through Irakli Yegoian from the penalty spot. An own goal by Stijn van Gassel made it 1-2 to FC Groningen in the 38th minute. Thom van Bergen from the penalty spot made it 1-3 to FC Groningen in the 64th minute. Brynjólfur Willumsson made it 1-4 to FC Groningen in the 67th minute, set up by Pelle Clement. Marco Rente made it 1-5 to FC Groningen in the 90th minute (+5).

It was 1-2 at half-time.

Marco Rente scored twice.

The referee, R. Martens, showed 2 yellow cards: 0 to Excelsior and 2 to FC Groningen.

Excelsior: R. den Uil, 4-3-3 · FC Groningen: D. Lukkien, 4-2-3-1.

Moneyball's prediction against the result

Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.

Why it went this way

On the day the expected goals were 2.57 for Excelsior and 2.08 for FC Groningen.

Excelsior scored about 1.6 fewer than their chances were worth: poor finishing, or a goalkeeper at his best.

FC Groningen made more of their chances than the xG suggests, by about 2.9 goals.

Excelsior had 2 shots on target, FC Groningen 9.

Excelsior's goalkeeper made 5 saves.

FC Groningen had 51% of the ball and turned it into the win.

Where the two sides stood before this match

Excelsior came into it with 10 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 1.6 and conceding 1.9 a match, with 1.36 expected goals for and 1.79 against, and had won 30% of their matches.

FC Groningen came into it with 10 Eredivisie matches played, scoring 2.4 and conceding 2.1 a match, with 1.60 expected goals for and 2.02 against, and had won 40% of their matches.

Excelsior vs FC Groningen: the match in numbers

Team statistics from Sportmonks.

Player ratings and man of the match

Man of the match: Marco Rente (FC Groningen), rated 9.2 by Sportmonks, with 2 goals.

Excelsior

• Irakli Yegoian 7.7 1 goal
• Ágúst Orri Þorsteinsson 7.1
• Kasey Bos 7.0
• Daniel van Vianen 6.8
• Stijn van Gassel 6.7

FC Groningen

• Marco Rente 9.2 2 goals
• Thom van Bergen 7.4 1 goal
• Brynjólfur Willumsson 7.2 1 goal
• Thijmen Blokzijl 7.0
• Jacob Ondrejka 7.0

The lowest-rated starter was Casper Widell at 5.6. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.

What comes next

• Excelsior: Excelsior vs FC Twente Sunday 1 November 2026 · Eredivisie
• FC Groningen: FC Groningen vs Sparta Rotterdam Sunday 1 November 2026 · Eredivisie

Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.

Questions about Excelsior vs FC Groningen

What was the score in Excelsior vs FC Groningen?

Excelsior 1-5 FC Groningen (half-time 1-2), Eredivisie, Sunday 11 October 2026.

Who scored in Excelsior vs FC Groningen?

Marco Rente 7', Irakli Yegoian 36', Thom van Bergen 64', Brynjólfur Willumsson 67', Marco Rente 90+5'.

Did Moneyball predict Excelsior vs FC Groningen correctly?

Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.

Who was man of the match in Excelsior vs FC Groningen?

Marco Rente, rated 9.2 by Sportmonks.

Who refereed Excelsior vs FC Groningen?

R. Martens.