Excelsior Maassluis Seizes Rare Win Over Struggling ACV in Tweede Divisie Clash

October 11, 2025 – Sportpark Dijkpolder, Maassluis On a brisk October afternoon, Excelsior Maassluis notched just their second league victory of the season, dispatching winless ACV 2–0 in a Tweede Divisie encounter that, for all its table significance, often reflected the scrappy reality of two teams locked in the basement of the Dutch third tier.

Setting the Scene

Sportpark Dijkpolder, nestled along the Maas river, is a venue more accustomed to local derbies than national acclaim. But for both Excelsior Maassluis and ACV, every point is precious. Entering the fixture, Excelsior sat 17th with four points—their lone win coming just last week—while ACV, anchored at the foot of the table, remained the only team in the league yet to register a point. The stakes were clear: a result here could spark a late-season revival or, for ACV, deepen the sense of crisis.

First Half: Frustration and Breakthrough

The opening exchanges were nervy, both sides struggling to impose themselves amid a flurry of misplaced passes and half-chances. Excelsior, buoyed by their 3–0 romp over RKAV Volendam, pressed high, but ACV’s defense held firm through the first half-hour.

That changed in the 33rd minute. After a spell of sustained pressure, Excelsior found their breakthrough. A well-worked move down the left culminated in a low cross that was bundled home, the identity of the scorer lost in the melee but celebrated all the same by the home faithful. ACV, who had conceded 15 goals in their last four matches, looked brittle once more. The goal seemed to sap their already flagging confidence.

Second Half: Comfort and Closure

The second period began with ACV showing flickers of intent, but Excelsior’s backline, marshaled by an experienced central pairing, repelled every foray. As ACV’s frustration mounted, Excelsior grew in composure.

In the 74th minute, the hosts put the result beyond doubt. Again, the scorer’s name was not broadcast, but the goal was clear: a swift counterattack exposed ACV’s stretched defense, and a clinical finish doubled the lead. The visitors, who have now lost all seven of their league fixtures, seemed resigned to their fate, unable to muster a meaningful response.

No Red Cards, But Plenty of Yellow

The match was not without its edge. Both sides collected cautions as the referee sought to maintain control, but neither team was reduced to ten men. The physicality never boiled over, but the intensity—reflective of two desperate sides—was unmistakable.

Context and Consequence

This victory marks Excelsior Maassluis’s second consecutive win across all competitions, following last week’s league triumph and a Cup rout of HZVV. It’s a modest upturn, but for a team that had previously managed just a single point from its first six matches, the momentum is tangible. The three points lift them to seven overall, potentially closing the gap to safety as the season approaches its midpoint.

For ACV, the outlook is increasingly bleak. Still without a point, their goal difference now stands at –19 after just seven outings. The pattern is familiar: defensive lapses, a lack of attacking threat, and a growing sense of inevitability with each defeat.

Head-to-Head and Historical Notes

While this fixture lacks the storied rivalry of some Dutch derbies, recent meetings have typically been tight, low-scoring affairs. Today’s result, however, bucked that trend, underscoring the current gulf in form and confidence between these two sides.

The Road Ahead

Excelsior Maassluis will hope this result is the start of something real. Their next fixtures—against mid-table sides—present an opportunity to climb out of immediate danger. For a club with limited resources but a proud local following, survival would be a genuine achievement.

ACV, meanwhile, face a daunting task to salvage their season. The search for a first point—let alone a win—must now take on an air of urgency. With each passing week, the specter of relegation looms larger, and the psychological toll of a winless campaign becomes harder to ignore.

Conclusion

On a day when Dutch football’s upper echelons were focused elsewhere, the struggle at the bottom of the Tweede Divisie offered its own drama. Excelsior Maassluis’s 2–0 triumph was not a masterpiece, but in the context of their season, it was a vital step forward. For ACV, the wait for relief goes on. In the unforgiving arithmetic of the league table, this was another day when the margins—and the misery—only grew.