Cole Bassett and Ricardo Pepi were on the scoreboard for their respective teams in midweek Dutch Cup action, with the former FC Dallas striker finishing up a big Groningen victory to reach the final 32 of the competition.
FC Dordrecht 0 – 3 FC Groningen
Ricardo Pepi put in a 90-minute shift for Groningen on Wednesday night, netting the team’s final goal as they eased past second-tier FC Dordrecht to advance in the Dutch Cup.
The American started at the top of Groningen’s attack against the current 12th-place team in the Dutch second tier, and capped an unsurprisingly easy night for the visitors.
Pepi saw an early chance in the 30th minute go wide, and shortly thereafter his attacking partner Cyril Ngonge saw a penalty shout ignored by the referee.
20 year-old Dutch youth defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo finaly opened the scoring for the visitors after 42 minutes, controlling a cross form Ngonge, cutting to the left then unleashing a 20-yard shot for the lead.
The overwhelmed hosts stayed within reach, although the American nearly added to Groningen’s lead on multiple occasions. Just before the 52-minute mark, he headed Paulos Abraham’s cross just over the crossbar, then saw his tight-angled shot from the left deflected by the Dordrecht keeper in the 60th minute.
Kasanwirjo wrapped up the win with his second goal of the evening, lurking in the right side of the area, where he was able to stoop low to head in a cross from Ngonge.
After a solid and threatening shift, Pepi finally netted a well-deserved insurance goal just before the final whistle, teaming up with Florian Krüger on a counter, with the two bamboozling the defense, leaving the American an easy tap-in to secure the 3-0 win.
Pepi and his teammates await the draw for the next round, which will take place on Saturday, with the games set to be played in January. In the meantime, the Texan has a domestic campaign and World Cup to keep himself busy.
NEC Nijmegen 3 – 2 Fortuna Sittard
Cole Bassett scored his first goal for his temporary club Fortuna Sittard on Wednesday, however his early score for the visitors wasn’t enough to overcome NEC Nijmegen as they exited the competition.
The American started in the attack for the visitors, and put them into the lead after the 11th minute when a chaotic sequence directly in front of the Nijmegen goal left the ball at his foot in front of an open net for an easy, point-blank finish.
The hosts pulled even in the 35th minute thanks to an unlucky deflection off the foot of Ximo Navarro as he slid in for a clearance, then Souffian El Karouani gave them the lead two minutes after the break with a low blast from the edge of the area.
Bassett had a hand in the equalizing goal for Fortuna just past the hour, firing in a cross from the right flank that Paul Gladon headed towards goal fror the far post, and Rodrigo Guth put away from close distance.
However, the hosts would come up winners in the end, with Pedro Marques finishing a chaotic sequence in front of Fortuna’s goal with an emphatic 74th-minute finish.
With the cup now out of their sights, Bassett and Fortuna can focus solely on their domestic campaign, which sees them decisively midtable, and hosting Feyenoord Rotterdam on Saturday.
Sportlust ’46 Woerden 0 – 3 FC Utrecht
Taylor Booth started for FC Utrecht against fourth-tier club Sportlust ’46 Woerden on Thursday night, playing 83 minutes in the team’s expected shut-out victory.
After Booth tested Woerden keeper Romero Antonioli in the opening minutes, Utrecht’s Sander van de Streek gave the visitors the 18th-minute lead with an easy tap-in.
The American saw another effort go wide in the early stages of the second half, and while the hosts held strongly, they eventually capitulated, with van de Street adding a second in the 70th, then Sean Klaiber sealing the deal with a third goal in injury time.
Utrecht host Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday, however whether Booth is with the first team, or playing with the reserves on Monday evening is yet to be seen.
