Groningen with Ritsu Doan beat Vitesse 2 – 1 in the first leg of the Europa League qualification playoff on 18 May.

Playing the first leg at home, Groningen scored first through Mimoun Mahi (45′) and Samir Memisevic (56′) before Vitesse reduced the deficit with a crucial Max Clark away goal (70′). Doan played the whole game, while Manchester City loanee Ko Itakura was an unused substitute.

The playoff is contested by the four teams that finished 5th to 8th in the Dutch Eredisivie, namely Vitesse, FC Utrecht, Heracles and Groningen. The winner will join Feyenoord (3rd) and AZ Alkmaar (4th) as Holland’s representatives in next season’s Europa League.

Groningen will play Vitesse away in the second leg on 21 May.

Europa League Playoff (1st Leg)

FC Groningen 2 – 1 Vitesse

Heracles 0 – 2 FC Utrecht

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Source: Yahoo

Images: gettyimages