Utrecht — Go Ahead Eagles match abandoned: what happened?
The fourth-round Eredivisie match between Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles was ultimately abandoned due to the behaviour of the supporters. The game was stopped twice after fireworks and other objects were thrown onto the pitch from the stands.
The first incident occurred in the 58th minute, shortly after Go Ahead Eagles scored their third goal. Victor Edvardsen made it 0-3, after which trouble broke out in the Bunnikside stand. Several loud bangs were heard shortly afterwards, prompting referee Martin van den Kerkhof to stop the game.
After a pause lasting more than 20 minutes, the teams returned to the pitch. Utrecht managed to reduce the deficit to 1-3, but the situation soon got out of control again. Supporters began throwing various objects onto the pitch, forcing the referee to halt the match for a second time.
Following a lengthy consultation, the final decision was made to abandon the game. At the time of the stoppage, Go Ahead Eagles were leading 3-1, with around 25 minutes still to play.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
