FC Utrecht booked a narrow victory in the Eredivisie on Friday evening. At home, the team of trainer Rick Kruys was too strong for NEC Nijmegen 1-0. In the 77th minute of play, Anastasios Douvikas scored the only goal of the match. Thanks to the three-pointer, the Domstedeling overnight in sixth position in the ranking, although Vitesse, which collected one point less, can pass Utrecht again if it manages to beat Go Ahead Eagles. The people of Nijmegen occupy tenth place in the Eredivisie.
The most striking name in Kruys’s team was Rocco Robert Shein, who was allowed to make his debut in the Utrecht main force. The eighteen-year-old Est was posted on the left in midfield. Compared to the lost duel with Feyenoord (2-1), Shein was preferred over Sander van de Streek and Othman Boussaid was allowed to start at the expense of Pontus Almqvist. At NEC, only one change was made after the lost match against Ajax: not Magnus Mattsson, but compatriot Mikkel Duelund was central in the midfield.
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Anastasios Douvikas helps FC Utrecht to three points against NEC????#deunion pic.twitter.com/Hp6XIQOMTN
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) Apr 29, 2022
Utrecht was determined to break through the poor run of four home games without a win and immediately went looking for the attack. The first serious chance of the match was noted by Anastasios Douvikas, who saw his shot dived from the corner by goalkeeper Mattijs Branderhorst. Afterwards, there were several great opportunities for the home team, but the opening goal was not found before the halftime signal. Djevencio van der Kust and Willem Janssen, among others, lacked fortune in the completion.
In the second half, NEC scrambled up and after more than an hour of play they came close to a goal. Jonathan Okita produced a dangerous shot after several moves, but his effort bounced just wide. Fifteen minutes before the final signal, the ban was broken by Utrecht. After a corner by Quinten Timber, the ball landed at the feet of Douvikas, who slid in from close range: 1-0. Afterwards there was a vicious final offensive by the people of Nijmegen; however, a defeat was no longer prevented.
| No. | Team | m | W | G | V | † | Pnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajax | 30 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 71 | 75 |
| 2 | PSV | 30 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 40 | 71 |
| 3 | Feyenoord | 30 | 20 | 4 | 6 | 40 | 64 |
| 4 | FC Twente | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 15 | 61 |
| 5 | AZ | 30 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 22 | 58 |
| 6 | FC Utrecht | 31 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 45 |
| 7 | Vitesse | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | -10 | 44 |
| 8 | Fc Groningen | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | -7 | 36 |
| 9 | Go Ahead Eagles | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | -9 | 36 |
| 10 | NEC | 31 | 9 | 8 | 14 | -13 | 35 |
| 11 | sc Heerenveen | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | -11 | 34 |
| 12 | Heracles Almelo | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | -10 | 33 |
| 13 | SC Cambuur | 30 | 10 | 3 | 17 | -18 | 33 |
| 14 | Fortuna Sittard | 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | -30 | 29 |
| 15 | RKC Waalwijk | 30 | 6 | 10 | 14 | -17 | 28 |
| 16 | PEC Zwolle | 30 | 7 | 5 | 18 | -20 | 26 |
| 17 | William II | 30 | 7 | 5 | 18 | -28 | 26 |
| 18 | Sparta Rotterdam | 30 | 5 | 10 | 15 | -23 | 25 |
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