XXC secured a 3-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam II in the Tweede Divisie regular season on Saturday, 29 August 2026. The visitors took the lead twice in the opening half before extending their advantage early in the second period. Sparta had started brightly, but XXC found a way back into it and held every card as the game progressed.
G. Zwikstra opened the scoring for the hosts in the 16th minute, giving Sparta Rotterdam II an early advantage. To be fair, the momentum shifted quickly. K. Sallent equalised just ten minutes later, and M. Witteveen put XXC ahead before half-time in the 31st minute. By then, Sparta's early confidence had evaporated.
Witteveen doubled his tally in the 46th minute, effectively deciding the contest. The hosts tried to respond, but XXC kept their heads and controlled the tempo. Several substitutions followed in the second half, including M. Gompel for Sparta in the 32nd minute and a trio for XXC at the break.
And here's the thing — Sparta out-attacked their opponents with 140 attacks compared to XXC's 111, and registered 11 shots on target against 9. Yet the visitors converted their opportunities while the hosts went begging with their chances. Possession sat at 56 per cent for Sparta, but dominance in numbers meant little without clinical finishing.
The result leaves XXC in second place with nine points from three games, still unbeaten. Sparta sit fourth on six points after three matches, with two wins and a defeat. The gap between them narrows, but XXC's consistency is beginning to show.
Three yellow cards were issued to each side, with T. Borrie and B. Scholte among the latest bookings for Sparta in stoppage time. The match itself was decided in those early moments — three or four episodes, not the 90 minutes of background noise that followed.