Twente ‘65 turn Rotterdam into a demolition derby

A 0‑5 first‑half blitz and a second‑half encore left Excelsior staring at a nine‑goal deficit that will haunt their season for weeks. The hosts never looked like a side capable of defending a corner, let alone a goal, and Twente’s front‑line turned the Rotterdam turf into a personal shooting range.

From the kickoff, Twente’s midfield pressed high, forcing Excelsior into a series of half‑chances that never materialised. By the 12th minute, the ball was already in the net – a low, driven finish that set the tone. Within the next ten minutes, the visitors added four more, each a reminder that the Dutch “match spectaculaire” had turned into a one‑sided showcase.

Excelsior’s defence, already looking fragile at the back, unraveled further after the interval. A sloppy clearance in the 54th minute found Twente’s striker in space, and the rest was a blur of nine goals, six of them inside the box. By the time the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read 0‑9, a result that will force the Rotterdammers to revisit their defensive drills.

The numbers tell the story: 55 shots for Twente, 42 on target, versus a meagre 7 attempts for Excelsior, none on target. Possession leaned heavily to the visitors (62‑38), and the passing accuracy gap (Twente 84% to Excelsior’s 61%) was stark. In the midfield, Twente’s number 8 orchestrated play with a relentless work rate, while Excelsior’s central midfielder was reduced to chasing shadows.

What does this mean for the league table? Excelsior entered the match perched near the bottom, fighting to stay clear of the relegation zone. A nine‑goal loss not only deepens the points deficit but also dents morale ahead of the final stretch. Twente, sitting comfortably in the upper half, leapfrogged a rival with this win and solidify their push for a European spot. The goal difference swing – now a double‑digit positive for Twente and a double‑digit negative for Excelsior – could be decisive when the season’s end draws near.

The takeaway is simple: Twente ‘65 were the class of the day, a squad that combined clinical finishing with relentless pressure. Excelsior will need a complete overhaul of their back line and a mental reset if they hope to avoid the drop.

Player Ratings

• Twente striker (9.0) – the engine of the nine‑goal onslaught.
• Twente central midfielder (8.5) – dictating tempo and feeding the forward line.
• Twente right‑back (8.0) – solid defensively and contributed an assist.
• Excelsior goalkeeper (4.5) – left exposed by a porous defence.
• Excelsior centre‑back (4.0) – struggled to cope with the relentless pressure.