Excelsior Rotterdam secured a hard-fought away point in a 2-2 draw against Willem II on Saturday, 5th September. Despite being outperformed in key statistical areas, the team managed to leave Tilburg with a valuable result, as reported by the BBC.

How did the match unfold?

Willem II, managed by John Stegeman, started brightly and enjoyed the majority of possession. The home side lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, putting pressure on an Excelsior team set up in a 5-4-1 by manager Ruben den Uil. Excelsior held firm defensively and proved more threatening in attack. While Willem II took sixteen shots with only two on target, Excelsior managed thirteen attempts, six of which were on goal. Both goalkeepers were called into action for important saves. Referee Robin Hensgens, assisted by VAR Edwin van de Graaf, issued three yellow cards in total.

What do the match statistics show?

The numbers reveal Willem II's dominance in possession and passing. The home team had 59% of the ball and completed 508 passes with an 82.9% accuracy rate. Excelsior saw 41% possession and made 367 passes with 77.4% accuracy. However, the Rotterdam side was more clinical in finishing and won a higher percentage of their tackles. Defensively, Excelsior was forced to make many more clearances, recording 59 to Willem II's 36. The BBC also noted Willem II committed more fouls during the contest.

Where does Excelsior stand this season?

This result fits into a strong start to the campaign for Excelsior. Before this match, the club was fourth in the Eredivisie with nine points. As of 6th September 2026, Excelsior sits ninth with six points from three matches. The team has two wins and one loss, with a recent form of WLW. They have scored seven goals and conceded three, giving them a positive goal difference of +4. In the title race, the side trails leaders AZ Alkmaar by six points. You can follow the full standings here.

What were the recent results for both sides?

Both teams entered the match with mixed form. Willem II had taken just one point from three league games, drawing with Heerenveen and losing to NEC Nijmegen and Go Ahead Eagles. Excelsior had beaten Sparta Rotterdam and Cambuur but lost to PSV. Both had been successful in recent friendly matches. The last official Eredivisie meeting between the sides was on 21st April 2019, a 1-1 draw. Willem II had won friendly matches in 2021 and 2022.

What's next for Excelsior?

Attention now quickly turns to the next fixture. Excelsior travels to Nijmegen on Tuesday, 8th September, to face NEC, who are currently seventh in the table. That promises to be another tough away test. The full schedule is available on our fixtures page. Ruben den Uil's squad, which you can view in our squad section, must prepare for a busy period ahead.