FC Utrecht did not succeed in closing off the final home match of the season with a victory. Foeke Booy's squad was again knocked off their feet in Galgenwaard. With a 3-0 win Willem II appeared to be too tough.
At halftime the 0-0 was still on the scoreboard. Not until the second half did cup finalist Willem II take a considerable lead via Tom Caluwé and twice via Martijn Reuser. It was quite revealing that Willem II did not play a splendid match at all. The players from Tilburg managed to get the maximum result from the chances they got, whereas FC Utrecht completely failed in scoring. A shortcoming that has finished the team this season, especially after the winter break, more than once.
In the first half it was FC Utrecht who had all the chances. In the tenth minute Stefaan Tanghe was close to opening the score. He saw his shot being blocked by Moens. After half an hour Darl Douglas approached the Willem II goalie on his own, but waited too long so that defender Victoria could step in just in time.
Ten minutes later Douglas sent off Rick Kruys on his way to the goal. Kruys tried to lift the ball past Moens in vain. The only danger from the Willem II side came in the additional time of the first half when Martijn Reuser took a free kick.
Willem II trainer Robert Maaskant said that his team had played a mediocre match and that his team had given a poor show especially in the first half. 'In that phase we were all waiting for a goal by FC Utrecht, which failed to be made to my astonishment', he admitted. 'FC Utrecht seemed to be unable to score today'. The 3-0 win was, however, a flattering one.
Foeke Booy said that he and his players had had a different idea of closing off the season in front of their own fans. 'It is a pity, because our supporters deserve better', Foeke Booy said. 'This is something you can expect to happen, if you do not score in the first half. There was a goal up in the air, but never came about'. In the second half our team fell behind in an awkward way and then you see that the party is really over for us'.
'We do not have any bounce and there is no mental fighting spirit. It is over and out. The second goal illustrated that perfectly. The way in which that goal was made is quite ridiculous. Then you will be greeted with jeers. But we know that, that is how things work', said Booy.
Because of this result the players from Tilburg have passed FC Utrecht in the table. It also meant the sixth home defeat of the season for FC Utrecht, who - with one match to go - also cannot equal last season's total number of points anymore. Next week FC Utrecht closes off the season with the away match against FC Den Bosch.
Jan Willem van Dop (44) has been appointed new chairman of the board of FC Utrecht. Van Dop, currently being the general and financial manager of Feijenoord, will start in the service of FC Utrecht on August 1st next. On October 1st 2005 he will take over Martin Sturkeboom's position as chairman. Until the winterstop, the latter will be committed to FC Utrecht as an adviser.
The new FC Utrecht chairman has been working for Feyenoord for nine years. Initially he was the financial manager, but after two years he had the overall responsibility for the daily operations at the club from Rotterdam. Van Dop, living in Zeist, considers his switch to be 'the beginning of a great challenge'. 'FC Utrecht appeals a lot to me', he says. 'This club is just like Feyenoord: for the working-class people, requires you to roll up your sleeves and not to do silly things.'
According to Van Dop, his new employer is the Dutch football club number four with regard to the size of the supporters group and, considering the regional economic prospects, he sees more possibilities for growth. 'I also completely agree with the sportive ambitions of FC Utrecht', the future chairman says. 'Of course I did not only speak to Martin Sturkenboom and financial manager Rob Venneman, but I also discussed at great length with technical manager and trainer-coach Foeke Booy. It is obvious that Utrecht wants to fight every year for positions that entitle the club to play European football and that is a nice challenge.''
The contacts he lately had with FC Utrecht, have made Van Dop enthusiastic for the club. 'The people of FC Utrecht have won my esteem. A big job was finished under Martin Sturkeboom's leadership. Nowadays, you can see a lot of FC Utrecht shirts in the streets of Utrecht. A huge difference compared to a few years ago', Van Dop says.
Last year, after an interim period, Sturkenboom was assigned to the function of FC Utrecht's chairman by the board of commissioners. Finding a suitable successor, who fits the club's character, he considered to be one of his last tasks after the landing of the new main sponsor. 'I'm convinced that we found him', Sturkenboom says. 'Jan Willem van Dop's ambitions perfectly fit the club's. Besides that, the brings an important managerial experience from his Feyenoord-period. Not only in a financial way, but especially concerning the operational level.
Leo Markensteyn, chairman of the board of commissioners, confirms that all his fellow-commissioners are convinced of Van Dop's qualities. They have appointed him unanimously. The commissioners thought it would be useful to keep Sturkenboom as an adviser for the club until the end of this year because of his long history with the club. 'In that period, I will be involved in the daily affairs in the background, so I can get my successor familiar with FC Utrecht's culture', Sturkenboom says.
Az Utrecht leigazolta a Troyes kapusát Franck Grandelt. 3 éves szerződést kötöttek a 27 éves játékossal.
Utrecht's technical director Foeke Booy explained: "Franck has been signed for the first XI. He will be our first choice goalkeeper. We have looked at the Dutch options, but this goalkeeper was much better."
Robin Nelisse signs three-year Utrecht deal 12 May 2005
FC Utrecht have won the race to secire AZ's want away striker Robin Nelisse. Yesterday Nelisse's agent Geert Stuwe told the Dutch newspaper 'Dagblad van het Noorden' that both FC Utrecht and FC Groningen were hoping to secure the services of his client for next sesason. However, after speaking to both clubs, the 27-year-old has signed a three-year contract with FC Utrecht, who will present him to fans next week. Nelisse: "They are both great, ambitious clubs for the people," said Nelisse, when aware of their interest. "He is our first asset for the coming season and we are extremely happy about that," coach Foeke Booy told the club's website. Nelisse has spent five years at AZ and previously had spells with Cambuur Leeuwarden and Feyenoord, where he came through the youth system.
This week was characterized by decisions made in the dying seconds. As it happened in Alkmaar and Eindhoven, last Sunday in Galgenwaard, too, the decision was made seconds before the final whistle. The match seemed to end in a draw. It looked as if both teams were unable to do something extra, in order to decide the match to their advantage. At that moment Stijn Schaars scored a beautiful goal for Vitesse and gave his team three points.
'A medicocre match in which the luckiest team has won', Vitesse coach Edward Sturing noted after end. Foeke Booy agreed. In his opinion, the first half was acceptable, but he thought that some players of his team got to a very doubtful level after that.
'In the first half we could have made it much easier for ourselves', Booy said after his one hundredth match as FC Utrecht coach. In that part, FC Utrecht created a lot of chances without Jean-Paul de Jong and Tim Cornelisse, who were suspended. It started already in the first 15 minutes. A hard kick by Hans Somers just passed by the goal. Besides that Vitesse goalkeeper Harald Wapenaar had a lot of trouble after a pass by Rick Kruys and a kick by Darl Douglas that was interrupted.
Until then, Vitesse could not do much against it. Theo Janssen, with a distant kick, put Rankovic in a good position, but the latter could not control the ball. With his second chance Rankovic was more successful. With self-restraint he put the 0 - 1 on the score board, although the Utrecht defence did not give him a very hard time.
One minute later already Hans van de Haar should have made the equalizer. After an obstruction by Theo Janssen against Dave van den Bergh, referee Van Sichem decided to a penalty and the forward claimed to take it. However, Wapenaar stopped the kick. After that, the well playing ex-FC Utrecht goalkeeper kept his team upright in a phase in which Vitesse could hardly control the ball and the pressure increased. Dave van den Bergh and Stefaan Thanghe were close to levelling the score.
The well deserved equalizer was made six minutes before half time after a corner by Van den Bergh. At the end of a scrimmage it was Sander Keller who realized the 1-1.
A free kick against the post by Theo Janssen caused some excitement shortly after halftime. After that, for a long time little happened. Until substitute first Prince Rajcomar and later on Amoah on the other side got a good chance. As said before, it was Schaars who struck ruthlessly after all in the extra time.
FC Utrecht: Ponk, Tiendalli, Keller, Di Tommaso, Shew-Atjon, Tanghe, Somers (67. Broerse), Kruys, Van den Bergh (78. Braafheid), Douglas, Van de Haar (84. Rajcomar)
Vitesse: Wapenaar, Vreven, Yakubu, Fränkel, Rankovic, Hersi, Janssen, Amoah, Schaars, Van den Berg, Rojer
Utrecht 2 : 2 Twente Stefaan Tanghe 26 Hans van de Haar 72 ill. Resit Schuurman 59 Blaise N'Kufo 88
FC Utrecht: Ponk, Cornelisse, Keller, Di Tomasso, De Jong (89. Van Steensel), Somers (74 Gaaouiri), Kruys, Tanghe, Douglas, Van de Haar (85. Tiendalli)
FC Twente: Boschker, Schuurman, Zomer, Majstorovic, Heubach, El Ahmadi (59. Sibum), Culina, Niemeyer, Touma, N'Kufo, Sjoekov (79. Christensen)
Opstelling FC Utrecht Ponk, Cornelisse, di Tommaso, Shew – Atjon, De Jong (74. Somers), Douglas, Van de Haar, Tanghe (79. Rajcomar), Braafheid (62. Van den Bergh), Kruys, Keller
Opstelling AZ Timmer, Kromkamp, Jaliens, Opdam, De Cler, Landzaat, Sektioui (38. Ramzi), Lindenbergh, Huysegems, Van Galen en Perez (64. Elkhattabi)
Last Friday FC Utrecht did not succeed in breaking out of the mediocre cycle of matches. In Kerkrade Roda JC was too strong a team for Foeke Booy's squad with a score of 3-2.
The first dangerous moment in the Parkstad Limburg Stadium arose because Hans van de Haar just simply gave away the ball to the opponent in the fifth minute. Ultimately the ball just ended up in front of Sergio's feet, who hit the cross-bar with his shot. Six minutes later Terol could not control a hard-hit ball from Gregoor van Dijk. To the relief of FC Utrecht, Cissé did not take advantage of the opportunity in the second instance.
In the first thirty minutes of the match it was Roda who was most entitled to opening the score. That opening score was indeed effected somewhat luckily in the 33rd minute. The direction of a pass from Jerôme Colinet was altered by Joost Broerse and Joost Terol did not stand a chance: 1-0.
Until that moment FC Utrecht could not bring any offensive actions in exchange. The surprising thing is that FC Utrecht managed to level the score quite soon thanks to an individual tour de force by Rick Kruys. He got the ball from Douglas, and promptly lofted the ball past goalkeeper Kujovic. 'It was a splendid goal that really came out of the blue', Booy admitted.
It was a score that would hold prospects for the second half. However, just before half-time FC Utrecht let that prospect simply slide. The second counter goal was scored after a terrific misjudgement by Terol. The goalkeeper, who had an air of feeling utterly insecure, came out of his goal when the ball was passed form the right side. But he missed the ball after which Sergio could give his team a lead of 2-1.
After thirteen minutes in the second half Colinet scored his second goal of the evening and that seemed to decide the match. Again Terol seemed to show moments of weakness with that second goal. Hans van de Haar managed to bring back the excitement in the final stages. With the 3-2 on the scoreboard FC Utrecht had the guts to believe in a draw, but in the last eleven minutes they could not avert the fourth loss in a row. Because of this result Roda change places with FC Utrecht in the table.
≥We cannot win anymore and that is a nagging and irritating pain', said Booy after the match. ≥Look at how we start the match, whereas we did show in the second half that we can really can do it. We manage to score twice here, but when you see how we simply give away the goals, you realize that it will be very difficult then.' Next Wednesday his team will have a new chance to bring about the turn, though AZ may be a difficult opponent to fight.
Statistics Roda JC-FC Utrecht 3-2 (2-1 ) 33. Colinet 1-0 37. Kruys 1-1 42. Sergio 2-1 58. Colinet 3-1 79. Van de Haar 3-2
Referee: Jol Spectators: 13,700
FC Utrecht: Terol, Cornelisse, Keller, Di Tomasso, Shew-Atjon, De Jong, Broerse (66. Mols), Kruys, Van den Bergh (77. Braafheid), Van de Haar (80. Rajcomar), Douglas
Roda JC: Kujovic, Bödör, Filipovic (90. Luijpers), Bodnar, Kah, Van Dijk, Colinet (85. Sonko), Vicelich, Cissé, Koné, Sergio
Last Saturday FC Utrecht were defeated 2-0 in the away match against PSV. Both goals were scored within five minutes in the final stage of the first half.
In Eindhoven Foeke Booy could not make an appeal to the suspended Stefaan Tanghe either. On the very day of the match he had to experience another two adversities. Jean-Paul de Jong suffered too much from athlete's feet and Darl Douglas dropped out with a groin injury. Richal Leitoe replaced Douglas in the offensive, where Hans van de Haar was given preference to Michael Mols.
Officially the visit to Eindhoven did not seem to stand a chance from the very beginning. Perhaps something could be achieved if Booy's team could keep the nill in the Philps Stadium as long as possible. That is what Booy hoped beforehand. An additional advantage was that many PSV players had commitments for international matches. And what is more, there was the quarter final in the Champions League waiting for them in a few days' time.
For a long time it seemed as if FC Utrecht would get through the first half in one piece. PSV was indeed in control, but they played in a rather slow pace and hardly created any life-size chances. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink headed a corner ball just beside the pole. The best chance was for Mark van Bommel. His shot was stopped by Joost Terol. During those first thirty minutes FC Utrecht simply managed to keep the nill, but was not able to offer anything offensive in exchange. 'We wanted to fight PSV with aggressive football, but the intensity was lacking to make a stand against them', said Booy.
The 0-0 could not be kept until half-time. In the 37th minute Van Bommel skilfully managed to get a free kick that was taken by Wilfred Bouma. Terol was a liquid catch when Bouma took the kick and saw that Vennegoor of Hesselink was the first to reach the ball and managed to score. The PSV forward seemed to touch the ball by hand during that action.
Three minutes later André Ooyer could nearly score a second goal. However, he shot the ball way over. Shortly after that the margin was increased when an offensive action was rounded off by Park: 2-0. The FC Utrecht defence deserved some of the blame. Sander Keller had not taken part in this anymore. The centre-back pulled a muscle and was substituted by the young Leendert van Steensel.
Booy called the 2-0 just before half-time the 'absolute deathblow' for his team. In the first stage of the second half FC Utrecht actually managed to approach Gomes. The PSV goalkeeper had problems with Hans Somers' shot and a pass from Broerse just missed his goal by inches. An early connecting goal therefore failed to occur. And so PSV could dead simply finish the second half. Guus Hiddink could afford quite soon in the second half to replace his important players so as to spare them for the match against Lyon.
FC Utrecht: Terol, Cornelisse, Di Tommaso, Keller (45. Van Steensel), Shew-Atjon, Kruys, Broerse, Somers (66. Tiendalli), Leitoe, Van de Haar, Van den Bergh (71. Rajcomar)
PSV: Gomes, Ooijer, Alex, Bouma, Lee, Van Bommel, Cocu (77. Bøgelund), Lucius, Park, Vennegoor of Hesselink (85. Robert), Farfán (60. Beasly)
It seems that FC Utrecht has thrown away its chances at a next European adventure, especially given the difficult programme of the next few weeks. Foeke Booy's team also lost in the home match against Heerenveen.
'We have to expect that this time we will not play in the European tournament', Booy admitted after end. 'However, there is no shame in that', he added.
Just like FC Utrecht, Heerenveen obviously had a difficult period after the winter break. Thanks to the victory in the make up match against ADO Den Haag, the men from Friesland overtook FC Utrecht on the ranking this week and their confidence increased again. Therefore, the result in Utrecht would not be crucial in the struggle for European football, according to Heerenveen coach Gertjan Verbeek. So, in advance Verbeek put the pressure on the home team. 'A draw will not do for FC Utecht. They have to attack and they will do so. That's what we like'.
Verbeek was waited on hand and foot. FC Utrecht immediately increased the pressure fanatically. That resulted in two excellent chances for an early opening goal in the first five minutes. After Heerenveen goalkeeper Vandenbussche missed Van den Bergh's cross it seemed that the incoming Douglas could score after that. But Douglas was misbalanced. However, in the opinion of referee Haverkort it was no penalty. Joost Broerse almost scored in the next attack.
After the storming opening phase Heerenveen attacked some more, without becoming dangerous however. After almost 15 minutes a kick by Van den Bergh nearly passed the crossbar. After more than 20 minutes, Heerenveen had their first possibility. Their free kick specialist Ugur Yildirim could do so. The Friesland fans behind Joost Terol's goal cheered already, but to the relief of the Utrecht crowd the ball was not in the goal, but beside of it. Four minutes later, the Heerenveen supporters could cheer nevertheless. Yildirim, again, could take a free kick again and this time Terol didn't have a chance.
After the 0 - 1, Heerenveen withdrew on their own half of the pitch and they allowed FC Utrecht the initiative. The upper hand that FC Utrecht had in the opening phase had left, but still there were chances to the equalizer. Joost Broerse created a nice possibility for himself, but he nearly missed the goal. A kick by Van den Bergh was given another direction and nearly missed the crossbar.
Just before halftime, FC Utrecht lost Stefaan Tanghe who, after he fouled Mika Väyrinen, saw his second yellow card that afternoon.
Without their captain Tanghe, but with Hans van de Haar who substituted Michael Mols, FC Utrecht started the second half. The eleven Heerenveen players could play their favourite game. Verbeek's team got more space and regularly attacked dangerously. Half an hour before end Terol saved the Utrecht chances with his save after a kick by substitute Georgios Samaras, who could have decided the match. Terol almost failed in the following corner kick when he could not control the ball. This resulted in a scrimmage, but it did not result in a hit.
FC Utrecht did not admit defeat and they struggled until end. Rick Kruis and Hans van de Haar were close to the equalizer in the dying seconds. But luck in the finishing touch was lacking.
Next week, FC Utrecht has no obligations in the competition. The next match is planned on Saturday, April 2nd. Then, FC Utrecht meets PSV, the number one of the ranking, in Eindhoven.
MORE PICTURES OF FC UTRECHT - HEERENVEEN
Characteristics FC Utrecht - Heerenveen 0-1 (0-1) 25. Yildirim 0-1
FC Utrecht: Terol, Cornelisse, Di Tommaso (63. Somers), Keller, Shew-Atjon, Kruys, Broerse (63. De Jong), Tanghe, Douglas, Mols (46. Van de Haar), Van den Bergh
Last Sunday FC Utrecht lost points again. A hard loss of points in our own stadium, Foeke Booy realised. The backlog on number five Vitesse increased to seven points. Booy called the 1-2 defeat against FC Groningen very hard, but we were not in shape and we could not convince today. 'However, if we want to claim the fifth position in the final stage of this competion we must be able to do so'.
FC Groningen took the lead in the initial phase of the match after Joost Terol had made a mistake. The goalkeeper, who did not play a lucky match, shot the ball right into Erik Nevland's feet. This accurate striker knew how to handle this bit of luck and gave his team the lead 0-1. 'We did not start badly, got a chance through Darl Douglas, but we did our opponent a good favour', Foeke Booy said.
After the early lead of the opponent the home playing team showed elasticity. Nine minutes after the opening goal Tim Cornelisse levelled the score with a fantastic long distance shot.
The FC Utrecht supporters immediately showed the team fanatically that they stood by them. The spark caught on the field and FC Utrecht played sharply in the fights, kept on pushing and a second goal was brewing. Cornelisse was close to a second goal through an almost perfect free kick. The Groningen defence was taken by surprise at the moment when Stefaan Tanghe's effort reached the unhindered Michael Mols via Dave van den Bergh. His sizzler went just near the post.
Then one player after the other lay injured on the field. The first victim was the one who made the FC Utrecht goal, Tim Cornelisse. The defender had to leave the field on a stretcher. After a fight with the Groningen defender Van der Linden he got quite a big head wound. Shortly afterwards Jean-Paul de Jong and Sander van Gessel clashed with their heads against each other. Van Gessel (bruised vertebra in the neck) was not able to continue the match.
This delay seemed to have broken the line of defence of FC Utrecht. The FC Groningen coach Ron Jans said that in the final phase of the first half he had hoped to be able to stand up to the 1-1 till half time, but he got even more. This time it was also striker Nevland who showed his class and shot the ball into the wide corner, 1-2. 'The 1-2 came at a very inconvenient moment. After half time we had to play on a very harsh field again', Foeke Booy said.
FC Utrecht was forced to try to create chances with an opportunistic way of playing. However, FC Utrecht did not succeed in this during the second half. Even after FC Utrecht brought Hans Somers and Hans van de Haar on the field they could not do so, although Mols almost headed a ball into the goal. On the other side, however, FC Groningen failed to enlarge the lead. For example, in a face to face situation with Terol, Seedorf failed to score and Mile Krstev did not take advantage of an enormous chance.
Next week Heerenveen will play in Utrecht. Hereafter another series of very difficult matches against PSV (away match) and AZ (home match) will follow, so only a victory against the Frisians will be enough if FC Utrecht want to battle for the important places for the second ranking clubs.
MORE PICTURES OF FC UTRECHT - GRONINGEN
Characteristics FC Utrecht - FC Groningen 1-2 (1-2) 9. Nevland 0-1 18. Cornelisse 1-1 43. Nevland 1-2
Referee: Temmink Spectators: 18.450
Yellow cards: Tiendalli (FC Utrecht), Matthijs, Van der Linden, Krstev, Seedorf (FC Groningen)
Line-up FC Utrecht: Terol, Cornelisse (32. Tiendalli), Di Tommaso (70. Van de Haar), Keller, Shew-Atjon (70. Somers), De Jong, Broerse, Tanghe, Douglas, Mols, Van den Bergh
Line-up FC Groningen: Roorda, Elshot, Matthijs, Kruiswijk, Van der Linden, Buijs, Krtev, Van Gessel (39. Floren), Salmon (90. Sankoh), Seedorf, Nevland
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