An eager and strong Utrecht lost 2-1 at home against PSV this evening (Saturday). The Eindhoven team came back from behind in the second half in an atmospheric Galgenwaard.

Whether you have red and white Utrecht blood or are just a neutral supporter, Utrecht played a very entertaining game in the first match of the new season. The combinations were smooth, the attacks were often impressive and the chances on goal inevitably followed against the reigning Eredivisie champions.

Dominating
Utrecht simply dominated PSV, certainly in the first half but also during certain phases of the second. ‘Surprising’, ‘fresh’ and ‘eager’ were just some of the adjectives used by the spectators watching Utrecht at work against PSV, who were regularly frustrated by Urecht’s will to win.

Goal
Given the run of play on an excellent pitch, it was hardly surprising that Utrecht’s first goal of the season came after 15 minutes. Sofyan Amrabat, who played a first-rate game running the left wing, set it up. He floated the ball across the goalmouth and Haller at the far post converted the pass into an assist. The French man headed the ball into the net: 1-0. Ecstatic supporters, happy faces.

Turnaround
Champions PSV turned the game around in the second half. From left to right, from 4-3-3 – a system that clearly wasn’t working against Utrecht – to 5-3-2. The ball hit the back of Utrecht’s net barely five minutes after the break. Davy Pröpper struck it into the bottom corner of the goal from outside the penalty area: 1-1.

Evenly balanced
The game progressed with the two teams keeping each other nicely in balance. First one team took control for a few minutes, then the other had a series of attacks. An interesting and enjoyable game to watch, with chances for both sides. And a goal. From a free kick a good 20 metres out, Uruguayan Gastón Pereiro slotted the ball into the goal: 1-2.

Deserved more
The Dom city players were repeatedly dangerous in the closing minutes. With strikes by Rubio Rubin, Andreas Ludwig and in the final 60 seconds, after even keeper Robbin Ruiter had joined the attack, also by Haller. But either the shots weren’t accurate enough or Jeroen Zoet demonstrated why he was on loan to the Brabant team. Zoet and his teammates took the points, but Utrecht deserved at least one, and perhaps even more.

Next stop Friesland
Utrecht’s next game will be against Heerenveen at the Abe Lenstra Stadium on Friday 12 August. The game in Friesland kicks off at 20.00. Tickets are available over the internet and in the FC Utrecht Fanshop.

FC Utrecht - PSV 1-2 (1-0)
16. Sébastien Haller 1-0
51. Davy Pröpper 1-1
80. Gaston Pereiro 1-2

Attendance: 16,329.

Yellow cards: Daniel Schwaab and Luuk de Jong (both PSV).

Referee: Bas Nijhuis.

FC Utrecht line-up:
Robbin Ruiter; Sean Klaiber (43. Giovanni Troupée), Ramon Leeuwin, Willem Janssen, Kevin Conboy; Rico Strieder (88. Kristoffer Peterson), Bart Ramselaar (73. Andreas Ludwig), Sofyan Amrabat, Yassin Ayoub; Rubio Rubin, Sébastien Haller.

PSV line-up:
Jeroen Zoet; Joshua Brenet, Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Héctor Moreno, Jetro Willems; Davy Propper, Andrés Guardado (76. Gastón Pereiro), Jorrit Hendrix; Steven Bergwijn (46. Daniel Schwaab), Luuk de Jong, Jürgen Locadia.