Three points can be added by FC Utrecht. Trainer/coach Erik ten Hag’s team referred Go Ahead Eagles back by 3-0 in Stadium Galgenwaard tonight (Saturday).

What a splendid through ball, what a beautiful rush and what an excellent completion. The 3-0 by FC Utrecht in the match against Go Ahead Eagles was magnificent. Sébastien Haller took care of the preparation of the goal, his buddy in the forward line Richairo Zivkovic finished it off. After more than sixty minutes Theo Zwarthoed needed to collect the ball from his goal in Utrecht.

Decided
Though a football match is not really over until the final whistle is blown, one can say that Zivkovic’s goal was decisive. In the second half the Eagles were one size too small in Stadium Galgenwaard. FC Utrecht were in control and dominated the game. And that remained the case, also in the last fifteen minutes, though the score was not increased any further.

Contrary
The first half? The roles were quite different then. Go Ahead Eagles were energetic, played strong and blocked up FC Utrecht pretty well. That resulted in many shots at goal, but either badly aimed or Robbin Ruiter held his ground. The 1-0, five minutes before the break, was therefore contrary to the proportions on the pitch. That did not dampen Giovanni Troupée’s joy. With his knee FC Utrecht’s youth product netted the ball, after Zwarthoed had to let go Haller’s canon ball which was not a liquid catch.

Rebound Rico
Shortly after the break FC Utrecht again scored a rebound goal. Again there was an important role for Haller. This time he gave a wide pass to Zivkovic who shot the ball diagonally and hit the crossbar. The ball bounced back on the pitch right before Rico Strieder. ‘Rebound Rico’ splendidly finished it off. And that was 2-0. Utrecht were dominant.  In Germany they say: Strieder’s goal was the Vorentscheidung.

Threepointer
And that proved to be the case. Ed Janssen blew the final whistle and FC Utrecht were celebrating. The 1,000th Eredivisie match in Stadium Galgenwaard went down the books as a good one. A match that was won. A threepointer. And that is what it was all about.

FC Utrecht - Go Ahead Eagles 3-0 (1-0)
41. Giovanni Troupée 1-0
53. Rico Strieder 2-0
65. Richairo Zivkovic 3-0

Yellow cards: Sofyan Amrabat, Willem Janssen (both FC Utrecht), Marcel Ritzmaier (Go Ahead Eagles).

Attendance: 17,433.

Referee: Ed Janssen.

Line-up FC Utrecht:
Robbin Ruiter; Giovanni Troupée, Ramon Leeuwin (87. Robin van der Meer), Willem Janssen, Kevin Conboy (77. Mark van der Maarel); Rico Strieder, Sofyan Amrabat, Yassin Ayoub, Nacer Barazite (76. Andreas Ludwig); Richairo Zivkovic, Sébastien Haller.

Line-up Go Ahead Eagles:
Theo Zwarthoed; Sébastien Locigno (77. Jarchinio Antonia), Sander Fischer, Xandro Schenk, Joey Groenbast; Sander Duits, Sinan Bytyqi, Marcel Ritzmaier (86. Kenny Teijsse); Darren Maatsen, Leon de Kogel (69. Sam Hendriks), Randy Wolters.