Fortuna Sittard came from behind to beat Groningen 2:3 in the fourth round of the Eredivisie at Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadium on 28 August 2026. The visitors took an early lead through M. Ihattaren in the twelfth minute, then doubled their advantage before D. van der Werff levelled for the hosts just six minutes later. L. Zeefuik restored Fortuna's lead at the interval with a third goal in the twenty-eighth minute.
And here's the thing about this match — it went the other way after the break. A. Descotte pulled one back for Groningen in the seventy-second minute, making it 3:2. Then came the moment that changed everything. Justin Hubner, who had been booked for a foul, turned on his own side in the eighty-seventh minute to give Fortuna the lead they needed.
The statistics tell a story of dominance without reward. Groningen held 68 per cent possession and made 164 attacks, but only managed two shots on target from fifteen attempts off target. Fortuna had just 32 per cent of the ball but hit the back of the net five times from five shots on target. They created two big chances each, but Groningen's conversion rate was abysmal.
There was drama late on when a penalty appeal against Jacob Ondrejka was cancelled by VAR in the eighty-fourth minute. The hosts threw men forward — three substitutions in the final ten minutes — but Fortuna's defence, led by 60 clearances, held firm. Etienne Vaessen and Édouard Michut picked up yellow cards as the game opened up.
By then the result was clear enough. Fortuna moved up to sixth place with seven points from four games, while Groningen dropped to tenth with six points. The visitors had lost 2:0 to AZ the previous week, so this win matters more than the score suggests. Groningen's recent form has been mixed — a 5:1 defeat to PSV, a 4:1 win over ADO Den Haag — and this result shows they can still be vulnerable away from home.