Feyenoord end FC Utrecht’s unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 victory

Feyenoord dominated the away match against FC Utrecht on Sunday. The visitors were hardly troubled in the Galgenwaard stadium in a 0-2 win, which caps off a terrific week for the Rotterdammers after their sensational 1-3 win against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League.

FC Utrecht, who started the season very well, suffered their first loss of the season. The second-placed team in the league table are now eight points behind league leaders PSV, although they have played a match less.

Feyenoord reduced the gap to three points between the teams with the victory. The Rotterdammers look ready for a tough week in which they face AFC Ajax and AZ at home in De Kuip.

Utrecht manager Ron Jans was open about Utrecht’s game plan before the match. The home team wanted to put the visitors under pressure to force them into making mistakes. However, this did not work. Although Feyenoord were not as good as they were in Lisbon in midweek, they still played well.

Brian Priske’s team was hardly ever in trouble, and they took the lead after 12 minutes played. Julian Carranza crowned his first league start with a goal. The assist came from left-back Hugo Bueno, who once again was impressive throughout the match.

The 24-year-old Carranza, who was signed by Philadelphia Union in the MLS in the summer, started the season as the third-choice striker behind Ayase Ueda and Santiago Gimenez. But the Mexican has a lengthy injury, and Ueda seemed to pick up what looked like a light injury in the match against Benfica.

Jordan Lotomba will also not be available for a while. The 18-year-old Givairo Reed replaced him in the lineup at right back. Thomas Beelen took Gernot Trauner’s spot as he was rested with an eye on the fixtures next week.

Ibrahim Osman missed an opportunity to make it 0-2 in the opening stages of the second half after another good piece of play by Bueno. Quinten Timber did make it 0-2 in the 54th minute with a successful shot from distance. The Feyenoord captain did not celebrate his goal out of respect for Utrecht, his former employer.

It looked like Noah Ohio was going to make the match exciting again in the 85th minute. But the Utrecht substitute goal was disallowed because of his teammate Jens Toornstra.