Vitesse Arnhem have one foot in the play-off final after coming from behind to beat PEC Zwolle 2-1 at the IJsseldelta Stadion.
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Maikel van der Werff started the game for PEC Zwolle despite his transfer to Vitesse this summer, and the defender’s selection by Ron Jans was justified after 31 minutes when he raced onto a Jody Lukoki pass before slotting past Eloy Room to put the home side ahead. This was the only goal of an open first half which had saw Room make a good stop from Tomas Necid, while at the other end Warner Hahn denied the dangerous Renato Ibarra when the winger raced through on goal.
Valeri Qazaishvili fired just wide for Vitesse just after the break, but the equaliser did finally come after the hour mark when Marko Vejinovic’s long range shot squirmed through Hahn’s arm and into the net. Vitesse then took the lead through Qazaishvili, who received the ball from Wallace on the edge of the box before spinning Van der Werff and firing into the net.
Mustafa Saymak nearly equalised for PEC Zwolle before the end but his shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Room, as Vitesse held on to take a slender lead into the second leg in Arnhem on Sunday.
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