FC Groningen-FC Utrecht 1-0
2011-12-17 22:33:05FC Utrecht lost the last game before the winter break against FC Groningen on Saturday and ended the first half of the season in 14th place.
"We've got to pick ourselves up after the winter break," said Alje Schut. "If we're complete, we've got a good team. Today we did everything we could but we lacked quality owing to the many absentees. For most of the lads this is their first season in the Eredivisie." Trainer Jan Wouters is also counting on the return of his regular players. "The young players can learn from the experienced ones.
The game in the Euroborg Stadium opened up after 18 minutes. A clever shot by Frank Demouge forced Groningen keeper Luciano to make a reflex save. Three minutes later Rob van Dijk stopped an attempt by Petter Andersson at the other end.
FC Groningen took control of the match with a series of dangerous attacks. The home team nearly scored when Mike van der Hoorn, who started the match after his good appearance as substitute last week, was being treated for a nosebleed on the touchline. David Texeira could shoot from close range but completely missed the ball. Rob van Dijk then turned a good free kick by Groningen's Virgil van Dijk and in the next attack blocked a shot by Andersson with his body.
Groningen piled on the pressure but Utrecht came out well in the 19th minute. Midfielder Anouar Kali got to the end of a deflected Edouard Duplan cross in a promising position but the ball went over. In the counterattack Tom Hiariej failed to make the most of another Groningen chance.
Jan Wouters' team came through a difficult period without conceding. In the last 15 minutes it even pressed forward and created Utrecht's third chance of the first half, a Schut header directed at the top corner was cleared off the line.
Groningen picked up the pace at the beginning of the second half. Rodney Sneijder had to clear a corner off the goal line and an excellent tackle by Van der Hoorn prevented Texeira breaking free in front of Van Dijk after a stray pass in midfield. In the next attack, however, the Uruguayan was not to be stopped, striking the ball under Van Dijk after an hour's play: 1-0.
With Alexander Gerndt and Stefano Lilipaly on for Yoshiaki Takagi and Adam Sarota, Utrecht gradually took the initiative. Lilipaly won the ball from a Groningen defender but was stopped just metres further. A strike by Duplan went narrowly wide and Luciano came out of his goal just in time to stop Demouge getting to the ball in a good opening on the right.
The Utrecht attacks lost force in the last 15 minutes. Van Dijk kept his team in the match with a good response to a Dusan Tadic cross. Utrecht kept trying but failed to create any real chances.
Characteristics
Score: 60. Texeira 1-0
Referee: Gözübüyük
Yellow cards FC Utrecht: Van der Maarel, Bovenberg
Supporters: 22,000
Line-up FC Utrecht: Van Dijk, Bovenberg, Van der Hoorn (Vorstermans/68), Schut, Van der Maarel, Sarota (Lilipaly/61), Kali, Sneijder, Duplan, Demouge, Takagi (Gerndt/52)
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