FC Utrecht drew against NEC Sunday: 1-1. After a good first half in which FC Utrecht took the lead, the team from Nijmegen forced a draw after the break. 

There were at least three moments in between the 35th and 45th minute in which FC Utrecht got a chance to increase the 1-0 lead. Sébastien Haller headed a ball onto the crossbar after a pass by Nacer Barazite. A few minutes later Richairo Zivkovic came up on the left wing, too fast for Michael Heinloth, and gave a pass to Sofyan Amrabat. The midfielder created space to shoot and fired the ball with a nice curve just wide of the goal. 

No doubling
The third chance to double the lead was a minute and a half before half time. Heinloth missed the ball and gave Zivkovic free passage towards the Nijmegen goal. The striker chose the far corner and fooled goalkeeper Joris Delle, but the ball went just wide. 

Barazite strikes
And thus the margin remained only one goal. A goal by Barazite. From the right wing Zivkovic gave a good assist and Barazite scored via the French goalkeeper from Nijmegen: 1-0.

NEC in a hold
FC Utrecht could blame themselves for not enlarging the lead on the Nijmegen team. They had trainer Peter Hyballa’s team in a hold and were on their way to a great result. But they could not prevent NEC breaking free. 

Kadioglu the hero in Nijmegen
Because that is what NEC did. The team used the break to gain new energy and played a good second half in which 17 year old substitute Ferdi Kadioglu scored the equaliser. The youth international got space to shoot and made excellent use of that opportunity; he fired the ball into the top corner after an hour into the game. 

Draw
In the remaining thirty minutes, both teams created chances, but Robbin Ruiter and Delle were not passed, so it remained 1-1. 

FC Utrecht - NEC 1-1 (1-0)
35. Joris Delle (own goal) 1-0
62. Ferdi Kadioglu 1-1

Yellow cards: Patrick Joosten and Richairo Zivkovic (both FC Utrecht), Michael Heinloth, Reagy Ofosu, Andre Formitschow (all NEC).

Attendance: 16,911.

Referee: Edwin van de Graaf.

Line-up FC Utrecht:
Robbin Ruiter; Giovanni Troupée, Ramon Leeuwin, Willem Janssen, Robin van der Meer (88. Kevin Conboy); Rico Strieder, Sofyan Amrabat, Yassin Ayoub (79. Andreas Ludwig), Nacer Barazite (79. Patrick Joosten); Richairo Zivkovic, Sébastien Haller.

Line-up NEC:
Joris Delle; Michael Heinloth, Dario Dumic, Wojciech Golla, Andre Formitschow; Janio Bikel, Julian Von Haacke; Gregor Breinburg, Kevin Mayi (88. Jay-Roy Grot), Reagy Ofosu (46. Ferdi Kadioglu); Taiwo Awoniyi (90+2. Quincy Owusu-Abeyie).