Go Ahead Eagles has booked an extreme victory in the Eredivisie on Saturday afternoon. The team of coach René Hake seemed to have to settle for a draw when visiting FC Utrecht, but Willum Thór Willumsson scored the winning goal in the 94th minute: 1-2. Go Ahead is eleventh with 29 points, while Utrecht is stuck in seventh place.
Utrecht had to do without Bas Dost, who had not yet fully recovered from an ice leg he received in the away game against NEC (2-2). Mark van der Maarel was also missing due to a suspension, while tastemaker Taylor Booth returned to the bench after injury. Hake had no surprises in his starting eleven at Go Ahead. Before the start of the game, an impressive minute of silence was held for the victims of the tram attack in Utrecht, exactly four years ago on Saturday. Four people were killed at the time.
Minute of silence for the victims of the tram attack in Utrecht, exactly four years ago today ??
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) March 18, 2023
The home team handed out a first pinprick in the opening phase via Anthony Descotte, who shot goalkeeper Jeffrey de Lange’s fists after a counter. There was not much more spectacle to experience in the first act for a long time. Five minutes before the break, however, the game started after Anastasios Douvikas was sent into the depths by Nick Viergever. The Greek remained cool face to face with De Lange: 1-0. It was already his thirteenth goal of the season for the top scorer of the Eredivisie.
Utrecht then got away well. The VAR had called referee Alex Bos aside after a ball hit the arm of the sliding Ramon Hendriks. The referee, however, thought it was not a penalty. Go Ahead managed to balance the score before the break. Oliver Edvardsen appeared behind Utrecht’s defense after a smothered shot, after which he was able to slide the 1-1 against the ropes.
Hands, but no penalty ?? Should this have been a penalty kick? ??#UTRGAE
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) March 18, 2023
In the second half, both teams barely managed to create opportunities. Michael Silberbauer tried in vain to change the game image by bringing in Booth, Bart Ramselaar and Amin Younes, while Hake also made some substitutions on behalf of the visitors. Sander van der Streek was the closest to 2-1, but he had to watch how his header hit the post via De Lange. In extremis, Go Ahead managed to win against all odds. Viergever and Hendriks went through under a cross, after which Willumsson was able to shoot in easily: 1-2.
| No. | Team | m | W | G | v | +/- | Pnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feyenoord | 25 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 33 | 58 |
| 2 | Ajax | 25 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 45 | 55 |
| 3 | AZ | 25 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 53 |
| 4 | PSV | 25 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 52 |
| 5 | FC Twente | 25 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 44 |
| 6 | Sparta Rotterdam | 25 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 43 |
| 7 | FC Utrecht | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 38 |
| 8 | RKC Waalwijk | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 32 |
| 9 | NEC | 25 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 31 |
| 10 | SC Heerenveen | 25 | 8 | 7 | 10 | -7 | 31 |
| 11 | Go Ahead Eagles | 25 | 7 | 8 | 10 | -8 | 29 |
| 12 | Fortuna Sittard | 26 | 8 | 5 | 13 | -14 | 29 |
| 13 | FC Volendam | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | -25 | 26 |
| 14 | Vitesse | 25 | 5 | 8 | 12 | -16 | 23 |
| 15 | FC Emmen | 25 | 4 | 9 | 12 | -20 | 21 |
| 16 | Excelsior | 25 | 6 | 2 | 17 | -39 | 20 |
| 17 | Fc Groningen | 25 | 4 | 5 | 16 | -25 | 17 |
| 18 | SC Cambuur | 25 | 4 | 4 | 17 | -26 | 16 |