The cross from the forward left back Souffian El Karouani, about ten minutes before the end, is tailor-made. After which two substitutes, with a fine example of teamwork, promote the ball to a goal. Noah Ohio extends the cross, at the far post Ole Romeny runs the ball in: 1-1.
Lella scores at the last minute
A draw between FC Utrecht and Venezia FC seems imminent in Stadion Galgenwaard. But one of the Italians thinks differently. Nunzio Lella, to be precise. He dribbles from the left flank into the axis of the field in injury time of the practice match and shoots. The ball zooms past Vasilis Barkas and into the far corner: 1-2.
Great saves from Barkas and Grandi
Barkas has an answer to an Italian shot earlier. Antonio Candela tries to outwit the Greek goalie, but with a great reflex the FC Utrecht goalie prevents that from happening. His colleague Matteo Grandi, on the other side of the field, can also write a great save. After a free kick by El Karouani, he punches away a ball shot by Can Bozdogan.
Utrecht opportunities
Another great opportunity for FC Utrecht presents itself a little earlier in the second half. At that moment Jesse Joronen is still under the bar for Venezia FC and after a smooth attack that runs via Zidane Iqbal and Anthony Descotte it is striker David Min who makes an attempt on goal. The attacker chips the ball, the Finnish goalkeeper stops the ball.
Doumbia opens the scoring
Because attempts by Jeppe Okkels (shot saved by Joronen), Mike van der Hoorn (header, wide) and Jens Toornstra (shot, prey for Joronen) also do not result in goals, Venezia FC comes out on top in Stadion Galgenwaard. Issah Doumbia is on target. Halfway through the second half, he is the one who opens the score (0-1).
Competition start approaching
For FC Utrecht, it will soon be all about the points again. On Sunday 11 August, the Eredivisie will start again for the team of Head Coach Ron Jans, with a home match against PEC Zwolle that has to be played without an audience due to a penalty imposed by the municipality of Utrecht. This will be followed by away matches against sc Heerenveen and NAC Breda, before FC Twente visits Stadion Galgenwaard on Sunday 1 September.
FC Utrecht – Venezia FC 1-2 (0-0)
66. Issah Doumbia 0-1
82. Ole Romeny 1-1
90+1. Nunzio Lella 1-2
Yellow cards: Jeppe Okkels (FC Utrecht).
Spectators: 3.825.
Referee: Marc Nightingale.
FC Utrecht line-up:
Vasilis Barkas; Siebe Horemans, Mike van der Hoorn, Nick Viergever (60. Matisse Didden), Souffian El Karouani; Alonzo Engwanda, Zidane Iqbal (73. Can Bozdogan), Victor Jensen (80. Adrian Blake); Jens Toornstra (73. Ole Romeny), David Min (73. Noah Ohio), Jeppe Okkels (46. Anthony Descotte).
Venezia FC line-up:
Jesse Joronen (79. Matteo Grandi); Francesco Zampano (86. Saad El Haddad), Jay Idzes, Michael Svoboda (73. Giorgio Altare), Bjarki Bjarkason (35. Antonio Candela); Marin Sverko, Magnus Andersen (73. Domen Crnigoj), Issah Doumbia (73. Nunzio Lella); Gaetano Oristanio (55. Nicholas Pierini), Joel Pohjanpalo (35. Christian Gytkjaer), Mikael Ellertsson (46. Alfred Duncan).
