Jong Utrecht coach laughs off baffling decision after striker-keeper collision

Jong FC Utrecht’s Keuken Kampioen Divisie meeting with FC Eindhoven produced a major refereeing talking point when Emmanuel Owen collided with goalkeeper Borgmans. The Utrecht striker appeared to have a route towards an empty net, but referee Joshua Kuipers awarded Eindhoven a free-kick rather than penalising the goalkeeper.

Utrecht coach Otten said after the game that he had seen a foul, only for Kuipers to reach what he considered a remarkable conclusion. According to Otten, the referee believed Owen had initiated the contact by seeking out the goalkeeper. The coach laughed as he recounted that explanation to ESPN, but stressed that the official had not made the decision deliberately. He also acknowledged that those reviewing the incident afterwards had the benefit of video footage.

Otten nevertheless described the call as “a very wrong assessment”, as reported by Voetbal International, and said it had disadvantaged his side. Borgmans offered a different perspective, explaining that the ball bounced higher than he expected before he slipped slightly while attempting to push off, missed the ball and made contact with Owen.

The goalkeeper did not believe the incident warranted a red card because, in his view, another defender was still alongside the play. However, Borgmans added that he had yet to watch the footage back before giving his post-match assessment.