Fortuna pushes FC Groningen deeper into trouble, VAR bothers FC Utrecht | Football

Apr 02, 2023 at 4:32 PMUpdate: 8 minutes ago

Fortuna Sittard pushed FC Groningen even deeper into trouble on Sunday. The Limburgers won 3-1 against the northerners, who see relegation concerns increase as a result. FC Utrecht also lost points at home against FC Volendam due to three rejected goals: 0-0.

Iñigo Córdoba opened the score for Fortuna against FC Groningen in the third minute. The Spaniard shot on a pass from Tijjani Noslin with a counter from the home team.

FC Groningen then lost a number of chances for the equalizer, but did score just before half-time. Elvis Manu found the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Shortly afterwards it was hit for Fortuna. Córdoba tapped from a rebound, after Michael Verrips had turned a long shot from Noslin.

In the second half, FC Groningen was close to the tying goal a few times. For example, Fortuna goalkeeper Ivor Pandur had a great save with a header from Ricardo Pepi and Isak Dybvyk Määttä hit the post.

Fifteen minutes before the end, FC Groningen did come back into the match. Pepi was served by Florian Krüger, played freely and hit the target. The visitors then went on the hunt for the equalizer, but in injury time it became 3-1. Paul Gladon headed against his old club from a free kick by Umaro Embalo.

Due to the defeat, number seventeen FC Groningen is now seven points behind number sixteen Excelsior. The bottom two teams are relegated directly from the Eredivisie at the end of the season. Fortuna occupies eleventh place.

Referee Richard Martens disapproved of three FC Utrecht goals. Photo: Pro Shots

FC Utrecht again drops points due to three rejected goals

FC Utrecht was the better team against FC Volendam in the first half, but created few great opportunities. Anastasios Douvikas created danger a number of times and Bart Ramselaar shot on the post just before the break. Early in the second half, Nick Viergever did find the goal for the home team, but that goal was rejected due to offside.

After an hour of play, Ramselaar thought he could open the score. The midfielder took full advantage after FC Volendam goalkeeper Filip Stankovic hit the ball right in front of his feet. But the goal was canceled after the intervention of the VAR because the ball had crossed the sideline in the run-up to the goal.

FC Utrecht then continued to hunt for a goal and that seemed to result in the 1-0 seven minutes before the end. Douvikas, shared Eredivisie top scorer with twelve goals with PSV player Xavi Simons, tapped in from close range. But again the VAR threw a spanner in the works, because Bas Dost was annoyingly offside.

Also in the eight minutes of injury time, FC Utrecht did not score, although it was still very close. A header from Mike van der Hoorn was cleared off the line by Robert Mühren.

FC Utrecht occupies seventh place in the ranking. In recent weeks, the team of coach Michael Silberbauer lost to Fortuna Sittard (1-2) and Go Ahead Eagles (1-2) and played a draw at NEC (2-2). FC Volendam is thirteenth.

View the results, the position and the program in the Eredivisie

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