Mike van der Hoorn (FC Utrecht) and Wouter Goes (AZ) are leaning against each other. FC Utrecht is allowed to take a corner kick on the side of its own hard core. Goes, his body bent over, stands with his back to the ball and only has eyes for his opponent. When in a judo match the two try to escape each other’s grasp, Goes keeps pressing Van der Hoorn’s arm down and tries to push his opponent away. Van der Hoorn, one and a half heads taller and twelve years older, looks questioningly to the side at the linesman: ‘Do you see this?’
The packed Bunnik side roars when Utrecht concedes a free kick. There is tension in this match. The team of coach Ron Jans is working on a strong season, in which, to the surprise of many, it is in third place. Earlier in the evening, PSV lost at PEC Zwolle. If the home team wins, the gap between FC Utrecht and the leader can shrink to four points. AZ also wants to continue the good form of recent weeks and plays to win. Both teams came out of the winter break strong. Both Utrecht and AZ managed to pull off points by stealing points from top clubs. AZ drew 2-2 with PSV in Eindhoven. Utrecht even managed to win 2-1 in De Kuip at Feyenoord.
In Utrecht everyone seems to have come for one man on Saturday evening: Sébastien Haller. After his surprising return during the short winter break, the Ivorian striker will play for the first time in his own Galgenwaard on Saturday. Scarves and shirts with his name were sold before the match, and the crowd is already chanting his name during the warm-up.
AZ defender Wouter Goes has the task of keeping Haller from scoring. The 20-year-old Amsterdammer has been in the news a lot in recent weeks. He is known as a bastard, a sucker. An up-and-coming talent who, in his own words, “does everything he can” to win. The AZ defender does not shy away from foul play. “Squeezing, scratching, anything really. Standing on your toes, swearing,” NAC defender Boy Kemper said about it in a podcast. “I find it unnecessary and sometimes bordering on disrespectful, but I’m not going to say too much about it,” said Ricky van Wolfswinkel (FC Twente) this fall opposite de Volkskrant.
Because of Goes’ way of playing, he sometimes has to pay the price himself. Almere City striker Baptist Guillaume had after the many matches with Goes deep nail scratches in his arm to stand. The Belgian took out his anger with a kick to the inside of Goes’ knee, and was given a red card. Ajax striker Brian Brobbey grabbed his tease in an unguarded moment last Wednesday. Goes, who headed in the 1-0 himself and became man of the match, was able to laugh about it in the end.
Against the boarding
Haller first meets Goes after about five minutes, when he is pinched twice in the arm during a throw-in. A little later, Goes roughly throws the 30-year-old striker away in a duel, leaving Haller lying shaken for a moment and feeling his lip. Referee Dennis Higler sees it happen. He keeps Goes short, the AZ defender twice receives a personal reprimand.
Just before half time, Goes gets the ball at his feet after a combination. He crashes into the board with Souffian El Karouani, and pushes him down just a little while when he gets up. As Goes runs back to his position at the back, he receives a push or a swear word from every Utrecht player he passes. From the second half onwards there are boos from the stands when he gets the ball.
During the match, the home team invites AZ in and looks for an opportunity to get away. The Alkmaarders also have the greatest chances. Shots from Sven Mijnans and Troy Parrott are saved in the first half by Utrecht keeper Vasilios Barkas. The Greek also has to save the day in the second half.
In the 86th minute, the tired Haller was replaced by David Min, who missed a great header in the closing seconds. With the final score of 0-0, both AZ and FC Utrecht made little progress. But Wouter Goes did what he had to do: keep a clean sheet, at all costs.