Thom Haye plunges Utrecht into mourning with two hits and assist

Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 10:55 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 23:13

FC Utrecht was surprisingly eliminated on Tuesday evening in the second round of the TOTO KNVB Cup. René Hake’s team still took a 0-1 lead at a visit to NAC Breda via Mike van der Hoorn, but gave this away in the second half: 3-2. Thom Haye claimed a leading role for the home side by scoring both goals and delivering an assist. Especially the first, a free kick of more than twenty meters, was of great beauty. Van der Hoorn received his second yellow card ten minutes before the end and was therefore able to act early.

Maarten Paes returned under the bar at Utrecht. The goalkeeper had to miss the competition match with Go Ahead Eagles due to an injury, but was recovered in time. Utrecht seemed to have little to fear from NAC in the first half and became dangerous several times, but was unable to express this in the score. After half an hour of play, the Eredivisionist still seemed to take the lead, when Adam Maher was kicked and Adrián Dalmau was allowed to build from eleven meters. However, the striker failed and saw his bet caught by Nick Olij.

Barely five minutes later, Van der Hoorn still hit the mark, who headed in from a corner. In the second company, NAC fought back and deservedly tied the score when Haye fired a free kick from about twenty yards into the top left corner. The same Haye completed the party for the Breda team when he gave NAC the lead twenty minutes before the end. After a good individual action, he was too strong for Van der Hoorn and left Paes without a chance for the second time with a hidden shot into the short corner.

Utrecht then tried to force an equalizer with a final offensive, but ended up with ten men after a red card for Van der Hoorn, who saw his second yellow. Hake’s team, however, straightened up and reached the same level via Anastasios Douvikas. The striker scored well with a half overhead kick from a messy situation. However, it was not enough for extra time, as Haye once again showed his class and set the substitute Vieri Kotzebue free for Paes with a nice assist. The midfielder did not fail and shot through the goalkeeper of Utrecht: 3-2.