EREDIVISIE RELEGATION/PROMOTION PLAYOFF REPORT: 23rd May 2013 |

Go Ahead Eagles are flying towards the top flight as Roda and Sparta cancel each other out in tonight’s Eredivisie Relegation/Promotion playoffs.

Go Ahead Eagles 3 (Houtkoop 8, Antonia 70, Kolder 82)

FC Volendam o

Go Ahead Eagles have all but confirmed their next season in the Eredivisie with a emphatic 3-0 victory over fellow Jupiler League side FC Volendam this evening.

The hosts took the lead after eight minutes with a great individual display of the ruthless in-form Xander Houtkoop.

Go Ahead subsequently failed to build on the goal, with Volendam goalkeeper Sonny Stevens several times coming to his side’s rescue.

After the break, Volendam urged forward more often but the Eagles remained by far the most dangerous team. Again, Stevens kept his team in the match with some good saves until Jarchinio Antonia eventually breached the net. The game was finished off by Marnix Kolder with eight minutes remaning as Volendam were reduced to ten men with a second yellow card for Paul de Lange.

It is hard to see whether Erik ten Hag’s side can turn this around in Sunday’s return leg, on this performance it looks to be an impossible task.

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Sparta Rotterdam 0

Roda JC 0

Ruud Brood’s Roda JC cling onto survival by taking a 0-0 draw back home for Sunday’s second leg against Henk ten Cate’s Sparta Rotterdam.

Roda nearly grabbed the opening goal with Hungarian hitman Krisztián Németh missing early opportunities. But the best chance of the game fell to the Mark-Jan Fledderus after half an hour of play, his free kick got the best out of Spaerta’s German goalkeeper Nico Pellatz.

In the second half, the anxious Sparta found it hard to attack and in particular striker Donovan Deekman spurning some great chances to clinch the game for his team.

Roda’s top scorer Sanharib Malki was quiet until in the final stages placing his shots wide.

A poor game, which before the kick-off most were chomping at the bit at the thought of these two sides looking to entertain.

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