Ueda’s Late Stunner Lifts Feyenoord in Five-Goal Thriller Over Utrecht at De Kuip

Feyenoord edged Utrecht 3-2 in a pulsating Eredivisie contest at De Kuip, with Ayase Ueda’s late strike sealing victory and keeping Robin van Persie’s side unbeaten through eight matches.

Van Persie, facing his former Netherlands teammate Ron Jans in the opposite technical area, watched his Feyenoord team start on the front foot. In the 20th minute, Ayase Ueda justified his selection as the spearhead of the 4-3-3 with a classic poacher’s finish, expertly steering Oussama Targhalline’s cross past Vasilis Barkas to ignite the home crowd. Feyenoord’s early momentum nearly doubled their advantage, with Anis Hadj Moussa and Leo Sauer both threatening, but Utrecht clung on.

Utrecht, undaunted, responded right after the interval. In the 46th minute, Gjivai Zechiël—pushed forward in a tactical reshuffle as Ron Jans made three substitutions at halftime—coolly finished Sébastien Haller’s knockdown to draw the visitors level and briefly silence De Kuip. That parity was short-lived. Just four minutes later, Feyenoord’s Sem Steijn capped a slick team move—originating from Luciano Valente’s industry in midfield—by firing Feyenoord back in front with his second league goal of the campaign.

As the match wore on, both sides traded punches. Utrecht’s resilience was rewarded in the 83rd minute when substitute Djevencio Murkin—on the end of a lively Utrecht flurry—bundled home an equalizer after sharp work from fellow substitute Mees Jonathans. With De Kuip’s nerves jangling, the stage was set for late drama.

That came in the 88th minute, as substitute Cyle Larin made an immediate impact for Feyenoord. Larin burst down the right and squared for Ueda, whose deft footwork bamboozled Barkas and delivered the decisive blow—his second goal of the match, capping a man-of-the-match display.

Timon Wellenreuther produced a crucial late save to deny Haller, preserving Feyenoord’s narrow advantage deep into stoppage time. The victory keeps Feyenoord firmly among the Eredivisie leaders, while Utrecht, despite a spirited showing, leave Rotterdam empty-handed.

The win marks another strong chapter for Van Persie’s men, who remain unbeaten (6-2-0) and are increasingly looking like legitimate title contenders early in the campaign. Ueda’s clinical finishing, coupled with Steijn’s growing influence in midfield, offers plenty of hope for Feyenoord’s supporters as the season gathers pace.

For full match highlights and post-game analysis, see the detailed recap from “Sports Updates by Anupam”—a channel with over 90,000 subscribers, offering minute-by-minute breakdowns and expert commentary on Eredivisie action.