Excelsior defeated De Graafschap 5:1 in a Club Friendly on 1 August 2026. The visitors dominated proceedings from start to finish, with the result already looking comfortable by half-time. De Graafschap managed to score twice in the first period, but Excelsior responded immediately after the break.
Gyan de Regt opened the scoring for the hosts in the twelfth minute, before David Garden equalised five minutes later. De Regt restored the lead just before the interval, but Excelsior took control once the second half began. A goal in the fiftieth minute put the visitors ahead, and they added two more in quick succession with strikes in the eighty-second and eighty-third minutes.
De Graafschap's recent form has been uneven. They beat Kifissia 4:2 on 25 July, but that followed a 3:6 defeat to Telstar and a 1:2 loss to AEK Athens. Their only positive run in that stretch was a 2:1 victory over Utrecht on 27 June.
Excelsior have been more consistent of late. Their 5:3 win against Heracles on 24 July capped a series of results that included a 3:1 victory over NAC Breda and a clean sheet against Dordrecht. They also beat Cambuur 3:2 and Sparta Rotterdam 3:2 in their previous outings.
The statistics show a match where both sides shared possession equally, with Excelsior registering slightly more attacks at nine to eight. The visitors earned six corners compared to five for the hosts, while De Graafschap had five free kicks against Excelsior's eleven. No red cards or goal kicks were recorded for either team.
