Tobias Lauritsen was in fine form for Sparta Rotterdam as they came back from 2-0 to win an entertaining Rotterdam derby on Saturday afternoon. Relegation threatened Excelsior quickly raced into a 2-0 lead, with goals from Kik Pierie and Lance Duijvestjin. The dream start for the away side came within the first 20 minutes, and if they could have held on it would have helped them increase the gap to the relegation play-off spot and put pressure on RKC Waalwijk.
However, the home side sprung into life shortly after the second goal. Lauritsen, who was the subject of a bid from Hellas Verona in January, provided the assist for Arno Verschueren to pull one back after 24 minutes. The Norwegian forward then grabbed himself a goal to make it 2-2 after 30 minutes with a slightly fortuitous finish.
Na een weergaloze actie van Koki Saito komt @SpartaRotterdam op 2-2! 🇯🇵✨#spaexc
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) February 17, 2024
Neither side could find a breakthrough for most of the second-half until, with 15 minutes to go, Koki Saito’s headed assist was converted by Lauritsen for his seventh goal of the season. The 26-year-old now has seven goals and six assists in 20 games for Sparta in the Eredivisie this season. As Excelsior pushed for an equaliser, Sparta made the game safe when Lauritsen’s replacement, Charles-Andreas Brym made it 4-2 in the 96th minute.
The win means that Sparta have a two point lead over PEC Zwolle for a play-off spot. Excelsior remain in 15th spot, just above the relegation play-off position and its current occupier, RKC Waalwijk.
GBeNeFNÂ |Â Ben Jackson
