Sensation! Cup fairytale amateurs Spakenburg continues after mega stunt at FC Utrecht | TOTO KNVB Cup

They tirelessly jump, hop and rock themselves drowsy, the fans of Spakenburg, drawn to the Galgenwaard in their thousands. That it would be a historic Tuesday evening for ‘De Blauwen’ was pretty much certain in advance. But that their heroes would eliminate sub-topper FC Utrecht ice-cold in the quarter finals of the KNVB cup tournament? A minute-long tribute passes from the stands over the players from the fishing village, shortly after they have done the impossible: 1-4!

VVSB and rival IJsselmeervogels were so far the only amateur clubs that managed to reach the semi-finals. VV Spakenburg now joins that list, after a blistering victory in Utrecht. The second divisionist can wait and see which club will meet in that last hurdle on the way to De Kuip. Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV? How ridiculous the loss of FC Utrecht is; after ninety insane, nervous and therefore wonderful minutes, the attention this Tuesday evening will simply go to that brave amateur club from the municipality of Bunschoten, located within throwing distance of Galgenwaard.

With Alessandro Damen, for example, passionate FC Utrecht supporter, but for the occasion the man who keeps his favorite club from a hit a number of times thanks to flexible reflexes. At Masies Artien, as a carer for the elderly, usually as sweet as Spakenburg pofkoek, who is a downright plague for FC Utrecht during the cup match as the maker of the 1-3. And with Wimilio Vink and Luuk Admiraal, the players who have already ensured the spicy 0-2 lead in the Utrecht stadium. And with him, Floris van der Linden, who decides the match shortly before time: 1-4.

FC Utrecht – Spakenburg meets all the clichés that can make cup football so beautiful this evening. An eredivisionist who thinks he can manage on a half-full tank. Who, in the usually so sharp Victor Jensen and Tasos Douvikas high and hard balls, chases the goal over in the first half. And who opens the gate in the back so wide at times that you would almost suspect sabotage. And an underdog who, driven by adrenaline and passion, begins to believe in the unbelievable every minute.

It is scandalous what FC Utrecht, without the flu-sick coach Michael Silberbauer, shows. Decisive players such as Mike van der Hoorn, Sean Klaiber and Jens Toornstra completely fall through the ice. Goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas can never show his high level from the competition. And even Douvikas, despite his hit, is nowhere to be seen. Although a goal is still disallowed from him, this because of offside.

The displeasure is audible among the fans of FC Utrecht, who had initially provided such a fantastic entourage. The fire alarm even went off in the stadium; there was so much smoke development because of all the flare smoke moving into the clear air from the stands. Also from the Spakenburg stands, by the way.

But perform? Anything but that. From the start, FC Utrecht, still too strong for title candidate AZ in the previous round, failed against the amateurs from Spakenburg. Tellingly: in ninety minutes the team hardly switches to create a well-played opportunity. Not even Zakaria Labyad. The attacker, who came over from Ajax, cannot break pots as a substitute in one of the strangest quarter-finals ever in the history of Dutch professional football.

It can all be a beetroot for the fans of Spakenburg, as it turns out in the final phase of the match. Excited and en masse they sing, jump and dance to the rhythm of ultimate football happiness. ‘Blauwen, Blauwen, Blauwen’ echoes for several minutes from the sections with accompanying supporters, a reference to the nickname of the amateur club. Best moment: the ‘we are going into Europe’ that comes out of those same throats afterwards. It says everything about an evening on which FC Utrecht signs for one of its biggest disgrace ever and on which VV Spakenburg proves that football fairy tales exist.

Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV or whoever may be the opponent in the semi-final: they have already been warned.

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