fout van keeper kost groningen punten
Enschede, zondag, 22 februari 2026.
fc twente haalt in de slotfase een punt tegen fc groningen door een tactische fout van doelman vaessen. tijdens een balopbouw verliest de groningse keeper de bal onder druk van daan rots, die direct binnenschiet. het was zijn zevende goal dit seizoen. daarvoor zorgde taha voor de assist bij de openingstreffer van mats rots. de 1-1 in de grolsch veste houdt twente op plek zeven, groningen blijft achtste. de nul op rekening van vaessen breekt een reeks van zeven keepcleanes. beide clubs blijven hangen in de strijd om europese spotlights, met weinig verschil in punten maar veel spanning in de tweede helft.
error in buildup costs groningen dearly
FC Twente equalized late in the first half due to a critical mistake by FC Groningen goalkeeper Kamil Vaessen [1]. Under pressure from Daan Rots during a routine clearance, Vaessen misplaced his pass outside the box, allowing Rots to intercept and immediately score [2]. The goal came in the 39th minute, just four minutes after Groningen had taken the lead through Mats Rots assisted by Younes Taha [3]. This blunder ended Vaessen’s personal run of seven consecutive clean sheets in Eredivisie action [4]. The turnover exemplified mounting pressure from Twente in the closing stages of the half.
match dynamics and statistical overview
Despite conceding possession (53% to 47%), FC Groningen managed more shots overall but registered only one shot on target compared to Twente’s two [5]. The hosts recorded eight total clearances versus Groningen’s twelve, indicating sustained defensive effort [6]. Twente committed three fouls and received no yellow cards, whereas Groningen committed four and saw one caution issued [6]. Pass accuracy favored Groningen at 87%, significantly higher than Twente’s 78.3% [5]. Corners were also skewed, with three awarded to Groningen and one to Twente [5].
league implications and standings impact
The 1-1 draw left FC Twente in seventh place with 35 points, four points adrift of fifth-placed Heerenveen who occupy a potential European playoff position [4]. FC Groningen remained ninth with 31 points, slipping further from mid-table security despite having previously conceded the fewest goals (22) in the league before this match [4]. Their attacking struggles persisted—they now share the lowest tally (30 goals) among the top eleven sides [4]. Historically, Groningen remains winless across thirteen encounters against Twente in all competitions [3].
team conditions and tactical formations
Both squads faced injury setbacks ahead of kickoff. FC Twente missed key contributors including Taylor Booth, Mees Hilgers, Ricky van Wolfswinkel, and Robin Propper [3]. For FC Groningen, absences included Mats Seuntjens and Tika de Jonge, weakening both flanks and central options [4]. Twente lined up in a formation featuring Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Lemkin, Nijstad, Rots; Zerrouki, Van den Belt; Rots, Hlynsson, Ørjasaeter; Lammers [3]. Groningen responded with Vaessen; Peersman, Janse, Blokzijl, Rente; Resink, Land; Schreuders, Taha, Van der Werff; Van Bergen [3].