Overview
- Sayfallah Ltaief put Sparta 1-0 up inside two minutes after exploiting space behind the Groningen back line.
- The first-round match kicked off at 20:00 at Het Kasteel, where VAR is not in use until the round of 16.
- Sparta made five changes from their last league game, with Filip Bednarek starting in goal.
- Groningen head coach Dick Lukkien named his strongest side but managed Marco Rente’s workload by starting him on the bench, handing Tyrique Mercera a start.
- RTV Noord reports only about ten Groningen supporters in the away section, with live radio coverage underway from 19:30.