Groningen deeper in worry – Feyenoord another step closer to Coolsingel

FOR-GRO | 90+3′ GOAL FORTUNA SITTARD!

Fortuna decides the match in the form of Paul Gladon. The former player heads in after a free kick, bringing his new team to a 3-1 lead. Not much later, the whistle is blown.

FOR-GRO | 90′ Another few exciting minutes

Groningen is constantly pumping the ball forward in hopes of forcing a 2-2, but Fortuna is holding out for now. Four minutes of injury time arrive.

Thanks in part to an unleashed Karim Benzema, Real Madrid recorded an easy win over Real Valladolid (6-0) in the Spanish league. The Frenchman scored a hat trick within seven minutes in the first half.

Despite the victory, Real Madrid remains well behind leaders FC Barcelona, which won 4-0 over bottom-placed Elche yesterday. The distance between the number one and the number two also remains 12 points after this weekend.

FOR-GRO | 75′ DOELPUNT FC Groningen!

Ricardo Pepi finally brings Groningen the redeeming tying goal. With a hard distance shot he surprises Pandur. 2-1 in Sittard and an exciting final phase seems imminent.

FOR-GRO | 74′ Groningen on the post

Things are not going well for Groningen either. Now Isak Määttä shoots at the post and Blokzijl shoots wide in the rebound. Things don’t seem to be going well for Groningen at this stage of the competition.

FOR-GRO | 67′ Great chance Groningen!

There was almost the connecting goal there. Liam van Gelderen could head in freely a few meters from the goal, but Pandur managed to save handsomely.

FOR-GRO | 55′ Fortuna has nothing to fear yet

After about ten minutes of play in the second half, little has happened. Groningen does try, but is simply unable to really make things difficult for Fortuna. The last few minutes the home team is mainly to be found in the Groningers’ half.

FOR-GRO | 46′ Second half

The ball is rolling again in Limburg, where Groningen, badly in need of the points, must look for a quick connecting goal.

FOR-GRO | 44′ GOAL FORTUNA SITTARD!

At the stroke of half-time it is 2-0 in Sittard. Noslin with the hard shot, Verrips still makes a save, but from the rebound Cordoba is sharpest and makes his second of the day.

Since not a whole lot is happening at Fortuna-Groningen anyway, you can have a nice quiet look at the summaries of today’s games played.

FOR-GRO | 3′ GOAL FORTUNA!

Oratmangoen simply forfeits the ball in midfield after which, moments later, Noslin passes the ball to the incoming Cordoba. Cordoba tapped the ball into the far corner for the 1-0.

The last match of this weekend has begun. Fortuna is 12th and Groningen 17th. The Groningers are seven points from the safe 15th spot, so they really only have something to gain from a win.

FOR-GRO | Some facts at a glance

– This is the duel of the farthest apart premier league clubs: 316 kilometers. Both clubs won 4 of the 20 previous duels in Sittard, no less than 12 times they drew.

– Fortuna won in Groningen this season: 2-3. Pepi and Krüger scored for the home team, Gladon (2) and Noslin (deep in injury time) for the Limburgers.

– Fortuna lost 4 of last 5 duels. Groningen lost the last 3 duels, without scoring themselves.

– Fortuna striker Paul Gladon also played at Groningen.

– Oliver Antman made his first start at Groningen. The Finn scored in his debut game against Twente (1-1), but did not score as a substitute after halftime against PSV (6-0) and Heerenveen (0-2).

UTR-VOL | Match report

FC Utrecht again failed to win at home against a lower-ranked team. After defeats against Fortuna Sittard (1-2) and Go Ahead Eagles (1-2), Michael Silberbauer’s team reached 0-0 against Volendam this afternoon.

The Utrechters did manage to pass Volendam goalkeeper Filip Stankovic three times, but all goals were cancelled, to the fury of the Utrechters.

SPA-FEY | Match Report

Feyenoord took a giant step towards their first league title since 2017 on Sunday. Arne Slot’s team won the Rotterdam derby on a visit to Sparta (1-3) and saw Ajax draw against Go Ahead Eagles earlier in the day.

With seven games to go, the difference between the leaders and number two Ajax and number three PSV is eight points. Feyenoord, with a relatively easy schedule ahead, thus has the title up for grabs.

FOR-GRO | Line-up FC Groningen

UTR-VOL | 90+8′ End of match

It’s also over in Utrecht. Volendam takes a hard-fought point. Utrecht will be especially upset about the disallowed goals.

UTR-VOL | 90+5′ Mühren saves Volendam

The striker clears a header off the line leaving it still 0-0 in Utrecht.

SPA-FEY | 90+3′ Finished!

Beforehand, the away match at Sparta was still seen as one of the last tough games for Feyenoord this season, but after half-time the club from the south clearly had the upper hand. 3-1 for the leaders, who are now eight points ahead of Ajax and PSV.

UTR-VOL | 86′ Still no goal Utrecht

At the moment Douvikas taps the ball in, Bas Dost is annoyingly offside. After the intervention of VAR Danny Makkelie, this goal does not go through either.

UTR-VOL | 83′ GOAL FC UTRECHT!

After two disallowed goals, Utrecht finally scores. Douvikas scores his fourteenth of the season to give Utrecht a deserved 1-0 lead.

UTR-VOL | 81′ Good chance Utrecht

Brouwers takes the Volendam goal under fire with a volley. This looks dangerous, but STankovic taps the ball just over.

SPA-FEY | Gimenez in footsteps Kindvall

SPA-FEY | 76′ GOAL FEYENOORD!

This match seems to be played. David Hancko suddenly dives in front of keeper Olij and via the keeper the ball bumps into the goal. 1-3 at Spangen.

UTR-VOL | 73′ Volendam crawls out of its shell

Volendam feels that there is something to be gained in Utrecht and tries to go on the attack a bit more. It creates some more space on the pitch. Maybe this match is going to have an exciting finale.

SPA-FEY | 72′ Almost Szymanski

Feyenoord seem to want to make short work of Sparta right away. This time it is Szymanski who fails to get the ball in from two yards out after a fine cross from substitute Dilrosun. Sparta will need some time to recover before it can straighten its back and look for the equalizer.

SPA-FEY | 70′ GOAL FEYENOORD!

There’s the goal for Gimenez after all. Jahanbakhsh sends the Mexican into the depths with a brilliant pass, then the striker tips the ball past goalkeeper Olij with a beautiful foot movement.

SPA-FEY | Good chances for Feyenoord

First it is Szymanski who is free to shoot in, but aims wide from the turn. Just now Gimenez gets the perfect opportunity to make it 1-2 on a Paixão pass, but he mows hard over.

SPA-FEY | Van Crooij again vs. Wellenreuther

UTR-VOL | 60′ No goal Utrecht

Utrecht seems to take the lead at home. Klaiber comes through on the right, his cross is poorly handled by Volendam goalkeeper Stankovic after which Ramselaar can simply work in. but Klaiber let the ball run over the sideline, something that VAR also observes afterwards.

Sparta briefly has to fear a penalty kick against. Bart Vriends appears to make a handshake in a duel with Gernot Trauner, but referee Higler doesn’t see it. Also the VAR is not involved.

UTR-VOL | 51′ Volendam escapes

SPA-FEY | 49′ Feyenoord dangerous

Very soon a very big chance for Feyenoord. Szymanski has the ball in front of him a few meters from the goal, but Eerdhuizen throws his body in front of it.

UTR-VOL | 46′ Second half

Also in Utrecht, the ball is rolling again.

SPA-FEY | 46′ Second half started

The ball is rolling again at Spangen.

SPA-FEY | Van Crooij will sleep badly

Vito van Crooij is the first Spartan with a miss from the spot against Feyenoord in a premier league game since Eddy Ridderhof. His effort was turned away by John Blankenstein on April 1, 1987, and Feyenoord won 1-2 at Het Kasteel.

UTR – VOL | Rest in Utrecht, where little has happened yet

SPA-FEY | 45+2′ Wellenreuther beats Van Crooij twice

At 1-1, both teams went into halftime and Feyenoord can start erecting a statue to goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther. First, the German turned away a shot by Van Crooij, who went off alone.

Shortly after, the ball lands on Mats Wieffer’s arm and the ball goes on the spot. Again it is Wellenreuther against Van Crooij and again the Feyenoord goalkeeper is the winner of the personal duel.

SPA-FEY | 34′ GOAL SPARTA!

What a great goal by Mica Pinto. The Sparta-back curls the ball delightfully into the top corner behind Timon Wellenreuther. It’s tied again.

UTR-VOL | 31′ Chance Utrecht

There is the first really big chance for FC Utrecht. Sean Klaiber puts Tasos Douvikas free in front of Volendam goalkeeper Filip Stankovic. The top scorer of the eredivisie does not know what to do with the opportunity this time, because Stankovic turns the ball away.

SPA-FEY | 23′ Chance Sparta

Koki Saito with the dangerous shot. The Japanese forced Feyenoord goalie Wellenreuther into a save with a watched shot towards the far corner. Despite Feyenoord’s lead, Sparta were not without a chance. Maurice Steijn’s side managed to become dangerous from time to time with good attacking play.

UTR-VOL | 22′ Little happened yet

In Utrecht, there is still little to experience. Utrecht has the upper hand, but does very little with it. Volendam is holding its own for the time being.

SPA-FEY | 12′ GOAL FEYENOORD!

Paixão opens the scoring for the visiting Rotterdammers. The speedy Brazilian rammed a deflected corner hard into the roof of the goal.

SPA-FEY | 10′ Feyenoord urges

After ten minutes of play, Feyenoord are the superior side as expected, but apart from some dangerous situations, nothing has come of it yet. Sparta is almost dangerous on a few occasions in the switch.

UTR-VOL | Milestone for Van Mieghem

Daryl van Mieghem plays his 300th league game in Dutch professional soccer (125 premier league, 174 first division).

He does almost see his team go behind after a Van de Streek effort. However, Volendam goalkeeper Stankovic keeps his goal clean.

Match started in Utrecht and Rotterdam

Sparta-Feyenoord and Utrecht-Volendam have started!

GAE-AJA | Match Report

After losing the Klassieker two weeks ago, Ajax had to take another blow. The game ended in a 0-0 draw at Go Ahead Eagles, allowing leaders Feyenoord to increase the gap to eight points later today.

Coach John Heitinga surprised with a starting place for left back Youri Baas, who started for the first time in the Eredivisie for the Amsterdammers. That was at the expense, among others, of Owen Wijndal, who Heitinga has not yet sufficiently convinced, the coach indicated beforehand.

UTR-VOL | Some facts in a row

– Volendam won only 1 of the previous 19 premier league matches in Utrecht, in 1989 with 0-3 (Kromheer 2, Berghuis). Utrecht won 9 times, 9 times a draw, including the last time (2008-2009): 0-0.

– Utrecht won in Volendam this season: 0-4 (Booth, Dost, V.d.Streek, Bozdogan).

– Volendam won 6 of its 12 duels after the winter break. Utrecht took only 1 point from its last 3 games.

– Henk Veerman (Volendam) played 8 games for Utrecht last season (1 goal).

– Fabian de Keijzer is under the crossbar for Utrecht for the first time this season. He kept his 11 league games with Jong Utrecht this season, keeping 2 clear.

SPA-FEY | Some facts in a row

– Sparta hosted city rival Feyenoord 55 times in the premier league. Sparta won nine times, 33 times Feyenoord was the strongest. In 2017, it was no less than 0-7.

– Feyenoord coach Arne Slot played 54 duels for Sparta between 2007 and 2009. In 2008, he captained Sparta to a 2-1 victory over the city rival.

– Sparta captain and former Feyenoord player Adil Auassar reported this week that he is quitting after this season. He will work in the Sparta training program.

– Igor Paixão returns to the starting lineup at Feyenoord, replacing the suspended Oussama Idrissi. His last starting place in the premier league was the Rotterdammers’ last point loss: 2-2 in the home game against PSV.

Go Ahead starts to become fearsome opponent for Ajax

GAE-AJA | 90+5′ Finished!

End of match in Deventer. Ajax draws against Go Ahead giving Feyenoord an important blow when they kick off against Sparta later.

GAE – AJA | 90′ Rentree for Kuipers

Captain Bas Kuipers also gets minutes today. Led by thunderous applause, he makes his comeback after more than two months of injury.

GAE-AJA | Final Phase Breaks

It’s going to be a few more hot minutes in Deventer. With a 0-0 interval, Ajax looks to be losing expensive points in the title race. Go Ahead cherish the interval. Ajax meanwhile brought in striker Lucca.

Klaassen lashes out from the edge of the sixteen and puts De Lange to work for the first time in the second half. Still 0-0 in Deventer.

UTR-VOL | Drafting FC Volendam

UTR-VOL | Line-up FC Utrecht

GAE-AJA | 63′ Still an open match

After more than an hour of play, no goals have been scored in Deventer. It is an open match, with lots of ball possession for Ajax, but with chances back and forth. Go Ahead is certainly not played away and is dangerous at times. This game can still go either way.

SPA-FEY | Draft Sparta

SPA-FEY | Setup Feyenoord, Trauner in the base

The Austrian did not return fully well from the international period, but is fit enough to play against Sparta. Pedersen replaces Geertruida, who suffered a hamstring injury during his debut for Orange against France.

GAE-AJA | Was it offside or not?

Back for a moment to the disallowed goal by Mohamed Kudus in the first half. In the replay, the Ghanaian does not appear to be offside, but assistant Richard Polman’s flag signal stands after studying the footage.

Because Kudus is largely covered by other players, no lines could be drawn in Zeist. And then the judgement of the linesman counts.