This afternoon (Sunday) FC Utrecht played a draw against FC Groningen. After fifteen minutes the Utrechters took the lead in the Hitachi Caputal Mobility Stadium. Sander van de Streek scored the 0-1. Fifteen minutes before the end, when FC Utrecht continued the match with ten players, Ahmed Mendes Moreira decided the final score: 1-1.

Ten minutes, two big blows. FC Utrecht took the blows at the start of the third quarter of the match against FC Groningen. In the 66th minute Dick Advocaat’s team suffered the first blow: Simon Gustafson was sent off with a red card. The Swede committed a foul halfway the Utrecht half and the creative player was told told to leave the pitch by Bas Nijhuis. Ten minutes later there was the second blow. Ahmed Mendes Moreira scored 1-1 for FC Groningen from close quarters.

Outcome determined
After approximately sixty minutes the outcome seemed to be determined and offered nice perspectives for FC Utrecht, with eleven players on the pitch and leading 0-1 thanks to Sander van de Streek who successfully completed a Gyrano Kerk rush. After fifteen minutes FC Utrecht took the lead in the far north. But fifteen minutes before the end the sutuation had completely changed. The score was 1-1, FC Groningen played with eleven and FC Utrecht with ten and the Groningers tasted blood.

Hunt for a goal
In the hunt for a goal trainer Danny Buijs brought on Tim Freriks in the Groningen team, a broad shouldered player. However, it is especially the smaller, more agile player Ritsu Doan who was more dangerous. The Japanese player regularly managed to escape from the FC Utrecht attention. He did not score the winning goal; the Domstad players were spared such a tragedy.

Gavory and Gustafson hit crosbar and post
In fact: it was FC Utrecht who nearly scored the redemptive goal just before the final whistle. From a difficult angle Nicloas Gavory fired the ball hard against the post, outside keeper Sergio Padt’s reach. Earlier in the second half the keeper had already been helped by the aluminium, when Gustafson hit the crossbar mercilessly.

Friday: home match against NAC Breda
On Friday FC Utrecht will have to act again. NAC Breda will then be visiting Stadium Galgenwaard. That match starts at 20:00 hrs and tickets for the match against NAC Breda are for sale.

FC Groningen - FC Utrecht 1-1 (0-1)
16. Sander van de Streek 0-1
76. Ahmad Mendes Moreira 1-1

Yellow cards: Mike te Wierik (FC Groningen), Nicolas Gavory, Timo Letschert, Mark van der Maarel (FC Utrecht).

Red card: 66. Simon Gustafson (FC Utrecht).

Attendance: 16,293.

Referee: Bas Nijhuis.

Line-up FC Groningen:
Sergio Padt; Mike te Wierik, Jeffrey Chabot, Samir Memisevic, Tim Handwerker (75. Tim Freriks); Tommie van de Looi, Ludovit Reis; Ritsu Doan, Michael Breij (65. Ahmad Mendes Moreira), Django Warmerdam; Jannik Pohl (46. Uriel Antuna).

Line-up FC Utrecht:
David Jensen; Sean Klaiber, Timo Letschert, Willem Janssen, Leon Guwara; Joris van Overeem, Nicolas Gavory, Simon Gustafson, Urby Emanuelson; Gyrano Kerk (79. Cyriel Dessers), Sander van de Streek (79. Mark van der Maarel).