A strong start for Excelsior Maassluis
Excelsior Maassluis (E.M.) won 3‑1 in their first home match as a third‑division club against Groene Ster from Heerlen. Trainer Geert Arend Roorda guided the team to a solid result, despite initially weak ball possession. In the 4th minute the Tricolores were awarded a penalty after a foul inside the 16‑meter. Referee Daan Schaper called the foul, and goalkeeper Mark Voss was the main culprit. Attacking leader Bram Wennekers converted the penalty, putting the score at 1‑0. The first goal was a direct consequence of a clumsy defensive action by Groene Ster.
Chances and finishing
After the first minute Excelsior Maassluis took the game back. In the 20th minute they created several chances, but the team could not finish sharply. A defender blocked a shot, while goalkeeper Voss reacted alertly on several occasions. In the 50th minute Job Bleijlevens took a free‑kick, making the score 1‑1. Groene Ster continued to search for a second goal, but in the 67th minute a handball inside the 16‑meter was spotted. Wennekers again took responsibility and scored, bringing the score to 2‑1.
Five minutes later, after good preparation from substitute Derrick Slagveer, Wennekers scored his third goal. Thus the match finished 3‑1 for Excelsior Maassluis. Despite the good result, the field play was still not fully convincing. Creating chances was present, but finishing lacked sharpness. Defensively the side was not stable, partly due to the absence of injured Kevin Ringeling.
Outlook
In the coming weeks there are still two matches on the calendar: an away game against FC Lisse on 29 August and a home game against Noordwijk on 5 September. These opponents offer a slightly different calibre than UDI’19 and Groene Ster. For the Tricolores, sharper and more consistent performance on various fronts will be crucial to achieve positive results.
Conclusion
Excelsior Maassluis starts the 2026/2027 season strongly with a 3‑1 victory. The team, however, must work on sharper finishing and defensive stability to remain successful in upcoming matches.
