The kick-off of the IJssel derby between Go Ahead Eagles and PEC Zwolle has been postponed. The match at De Adelaarshorst was due to start at 12:15, but has been postponed due to issues involving travelling PEC fans.
Many supporters from Zwolle are wearing face-covering clothing, which is against the agreed rules. PEC’s management and captain Ryan Thomas are currently speaking with the fans in the away section.
“I can see Thomas and Gerry Hamstra (PEC’s technical director, ed.) walking towards the away section to ask them to remove their face coverings. That was the agreement beforehand. Four hundred supporters were also allowed into the away section instead of three hundred. But only without face coverings,” explains ESPN reporter Toine van Peperstraten.
“Stop that idiotic behaviour. You don’t go to a football match where children and families are coming. Where you can enjoy yourself on a Sunday morning, and then you turn up wearing a mask,” grumbles analyst Robert Maaskant afterwards.
“Then you simply have malicious intentions. It’s absolutely ridiculous,” adds the astonished and thoroughly disappointed Maaskant, a former player for both clubs.
Fireworks were later thrown as well, before PEC fans left the away section at De Adelaarshorst at the behest of the riot police. Go Ahead, the police and the municipality of Deventer are discussing what needs to happen and when the match will kick off.