FC Utrecht head to Celtic on Thursday boosted by a 3-1 home win over NAC Brenda today.
In a stormy match the visitors had two players sent off with Jens Janse and Donny Goter red carded in the second half.
The win lifts Utrecht into eighth place in the league after losing their opening match away to Feyenoord who lost in the Rotterdam derby today away to Excelsior.
Utrecht took the lead in the thirteenth minute when the brilliantly named Ricky Van Wolfswinkel slid in to score after some good work from Dries Mertens.
NAC, who travelled to Utrecht with only thirteen players equalised after 25 minutes from Matthew Amoah who took advantage of a sloppy backpass from Tim Cornelisse.
Utrecht retook the lead 28 seconds into the second half after a brilliant run and finish from Mertens, who was outstanding throughout.
It went from bad to worse for Pierre van Hooijdonk’s old side with Janse sent off for a second yellow card in the 68th minute with Gorte picking up a straight red for handball 11 minutes later with Van Wolfswinkel converting the penalty.
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Milio Izaguirre on his way to Celtic
Lets hope we be careful this time as well as try get a good lead to take to Utrecht. Come on bhoys keep it tight and let the front men do the damage Europe here we come. We’ve got the men to do it just don’t lets lose concentration, confidence is a slow process lets walk first ok bhoys
Here here Colin. Lets hope they don’t have a speedy right winger though. Charlie still looks dodgy at left back so maybe a wee bit of protection from midfield would be handy, maybe a run out for ‘sherwood’ also . hail hail !!
I watched this game today, Utrecht were the better side there was not a lot in it . Mertens down the left side was their best player by some distance but i feel Cha Du Ri defo has the pace to keep him in check. I only hope his defensive side is as good !!
Van Wolfswinkel took his first goal well albiet with a big deflection . The second goal was a very bad error by the Breda right back who kicked his clearance of the back of a Utrecht player and it looped over him for Mertens to run in on goal . and he finished well . The third goal was a penalty and a harsh red card for the Breda defender .
All in all if Celtic play like the did for a hour yesterday we should beat this Utrecht team
HH
Thanks for your comments Simon, some good detail there.
Were you at the match, as someone used to ask, or were you watching on-line?