Edition 2017/2018 of the KNVB Cup tournament has come to an end. The Domstad players lost 3-1 against VVV-Venlo in De Koel tonight (Wednesday).

After seeing how the cards are shuffled after more than fifty minutes’ play in the KNVB Cup match between VVV-Venlo and FC Utrecht, then there is no other conclusion possible that there is a mountain pass of the highest category for FC Utrecht on their way to De Kuip. Because the Domstad players are not only 2-0 down, but are also down to ten men. Captain Willem Janssen has to take the walk of shame after two yellow cards after fifty minutes.

See what happens
Utrecht supporters who ignore the facts and see what happens on the pitch, will be slightly more optimistic. Erik ten Hag’s team are on the hunt for a goal back and the Venlo team are forced far back into their own half. Wait and see what happens.

In charge
What is coming is a Gyrano Kerk goal. The striker has only just come onto the pitch when he adds colour after coming off the bench with a beautiful goal. The ball hits the net in the far corner: 2-1. More than sixty minutes have passed on the artificial pitch in De Koel and though FC Utrecht are still behind and one man down, the FC from the Domstad are in charge.

Hunt for the equaliser
There are opportunities. A shot by Sander van de Streek, a dangerous attempt by Dario Dumic, and also an attractive opportunity for Cyriel Dessers. The 2-2 is far more in line than 3-1, one would say. The supporters from Venlo hold their breath. ‘This cannot be true?’ The Twelfth Man from Utrecht, in 362-fold tonight, get ready once more. ‘Come on Utreg!’ they shout.

Eliminated
But the match ends as it starts for FC Utrecht: Moreno Rutten fires the ball into goal 3-1 ten minutes before the end and thus ends the FC Utrecht Cup aspirations of this season, who also had to allow goals by Lennart Thy and Torino Hunte in the first twenty minutes of the game; they respectively score the 1-0 and 2-0 in a phase of the match when the VVV players are in charge in their own Koel. After the break FC Utrecht still keep their heads up high, but cannot avoid elimination in the Cup.

VVV-Venlo - FC Utrecht 3-1 (2-0)
2. Lennart Thy 1-0
20. Torino Hunte 2-0
61. Gyrano Kerk 2-1
82. Moreno Rutten 3-1

Yellow cards: Nils Röseler, Lennart Thy, Damian van Bruggen (VVV-Venlo), Sander van de Streek, Cyriel Dessers, Dario Dumic (FC Utrecht).

Red card: 52. Willem Janssen (FC Utrecht, two yellow cards).

Attendance: 3,928.

Referee: Kevin Blom.

Line-up VVV-Venlo:
Delano van Crooij; Moreno Rutten, Nils Röseler, Damian van Bruggen, Roel Janssen (90+2. Jens Janse); Kelechi Nwakali (89. Terry Antonis), Clint Leemans, Ralf Seuntjens; Vito van Crooij, Lennart Thy, Torino Hunte (46. Tarik Tissoudali).

Line-up FC Utrecht:
David Jensen; Giovanni Troupée, Dario Dumic, Edson Braafheid, Robin van der Meer (32. Matty Willock); Willem Janssen, Sander van de Streek, Urby Emanuelson, Yassin Ayoub (83. Nick Venema); Cyriel Dessers, Lukas Görtler (58. Gyrano Kerk).