Players FC Utrecht and RKC keep their legs still in protest in the final minute, ‘cup throwers’ get a stadium ban

The competition match between FC Utrecht and RKC Waalwijk was played out on Saturday. Referee Ingmar Oostrom had stopped the game twice in line with the tightened rules of the KNVB after cups were thrown on the field.

According to the guidelines of the KNVB, a match will be permanently stopped in that case. Oostrom decided against this after consultation with the KNVB and the authorities. Mayor Sharon Dijksma of Utrecht wanted the remaining two minutes of injury time to be played out for safety reasons. The decisive factor for Dijksma was that only two minutes of playing time remained. The two spectators who threw plastic cups on the field are known and will receive a stadium ban, the spokesperson adds.

The captains Nick Viergever (FC Utrecht) and Michiel Kramer (RKC Waalwijk) had agreed that both teams, as a statement to the cup throwers, would no longer really play football. The ball went to keeper Etienne Vaessen of RKC after the kick-off and he kept the ball with him for the remaining time. When the injury time was completely over, Oostrom collected the ball from the goalkeeper and whistled for the end of the game.

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After the match, Kramer and Viergever appeared together in front of the camera ESPN to provide text and explanation about the statement of the two teams. “Football is being destroyed like this,” said Kramer. Read the full response from the two captains here.

It went wrong both times in stadium Galgenwaard after a goal from Utrecht. When striker Anastasios Douvikas opened the score after an hour of play, fans of Utrecht threw several cups towards the field when celebrating the goal. Substitute Zakaria Labyad made it 2-0 in injury time. Also then a drinking cup ended up on the field.

Pelle Clement thanks referee Ingmar Oostrom after the players of FC Utrecht and RKC stood still ‘in protest’ during the last two minutes of the match. © ANP

The KNVB recently tightened the guidelines after several incidents in stadiums. When throwing objects on the field, the game is temporarily stopped. In case of a second offense, the duel will be permanently stopped according to the new guidelines. The latter did not happen in this case.

Thanks to the victory, FC Utrecht secured participation in the play-offs for a ticket for European football. The team of trainer Michael Silberbauer is now certain of at least seventh place. RKC saw number 8 SC Heerenveen, which played a goalless draw against Excelsior, run out a point. Heerenveen has 42 points and RKC 41 with two games to go. Place 8 also entitles you to a place in the play-offs at the end of the stage.

KNVB: ‘Mayor of Utrecht has ‘overruled’ our rules

The KNVB emphasizes that the match between FC Utrecht and RKC Waalwijk should have been stopped definitively. However, according to a KNVB spokesman, Mayor Sharon Dijksma of Utrecht has decided that the remaining two minutes of injury time should be played.

“Our rules are clear: this should have been stopped definitively, despite the fact that there were only two minutes left to play,” said the association. “But the mayor can overrule this for reasons of her own and she has done that.” A spokesman for mayor Dijksma reports that the decision was mainly motivated by safety considerations. An early termination of the match was expected to have caused potential tensions in and around the stadium.

Referee Ingmar Oostrom did no more than comply with the protocols. “It’s pretty clear. I get instructions. There is only a small role for me,” said Oostrom at ESPN. “According to the protocol, a match is stopped, but there are also other interests at play, such as public order. After the first time, we already discuss what we will do if things go wrong again. When that happened, the safety coordinator contacted the mayor. She makes the decision.”

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