FC Utrecht today won their 16th Eredivisie match of the season. Trainer/coach Erik ten Hag’s team had to dig deep against an ultra-defensive Roda JC Kerkrade, but came out the winners. Zakaria Labyad scored the winning goal just before time: 1-0.

Will it? Won’t it? It has to, doesn’t it? There’s no way it can’t! Surely the ball has to bounce in Utrecht’s favour sooner or later? Just some of the questions in the FAQs for today’s match in the Galgenwaard. Utrecht were lords and masters against Roda JC Kerkrade, who seemed to have come to Utrecht with just one intention: not to lose.

Nearly rewarded
For a long time it looked as though Yannis Anastasiou’s team would be rewarded for its single-mindedness and its dogged plan. In brief, they parked the bus in front of goal and sometimes rushed up the field on the break

Labyad on target
But three minutes before time, Utrecht struck. Bingo! Ay Caramba! Fill your boots! Cheer till you’re red and white in the face! Zakaria Labyad curled a free kick into the corner and left keeper Benjamin van Leer helpless – finally. The Galgenwaard is ecstatic, and erupts again five minutes later. The game is over and the 16th victory of the season is a fact: 1-0. Utrecht are again uncontested in fourth place in the table.

Phenomenal
Utrecht richly deserved to win. The score was in stark contrast to the run of play. For nearly 90 minutes, Utrecht had possession and more than just a few chances but were unable to finish them off. Gyrano Kerk was the unluckiest player on the pitch for the second week in a row. His efforts were again thwarted by a goalpost. But all was saved by that phenomenal kick by Labyad.

FC Utrecht - Roda JC Kerkrade 1-0 (0-0)
87. Zakaria Labyad 1-0

Yellow cards: Sean Klaiber (FC Utrecht) and Daryl Werker (Roda JC Kerkrade).

Attendance: 18,876.

Referee: Jochem Kamphuis.

FC Utrecht line-up:
David Jensen; Giovanni Troupée (12. Sean Klaiber), Mark van der Maarel, Willem Janssen, Jeff Hardeveld; Ramon Leeuwin, Sofyan Amrabat (70. Nacer Barazite), Yassin Ayoub, Zakaria Labyad; Gyrano Kerk (86. Richairo Zivkovic), Sébastien Haller.

Roda JC Kerkrade line-up:
Benjamin van Leer; Adil Auassar, Chris Kum, Daryl Werker, Ard van Peppen (89. Mitchel Paulissen); Mohamed El Makrini, Tom Van Hyfte, Abdul Ajagun; Mikhail Rosheuvel (90. Beni Badibanga), Dani Schahin, Gyliano van Velzen (79. Bryan Verboom).