FC Utrecht left-back Souffian El Karouani has expressed his frustration after his side’s 1-0 home defeat to Sparta Rotterdam, insisting the result did not reflect the game’s flow.
The Domstedelingen remain without a win in 2026, but El Karouani, a Moroccan international, believes Utrecht created enough chances to deserve at least a point.
“We lost unfairly, and I think we had a lot of chances. We had another one at the end of the game that should have gone in. Everything went against us,” he told ESPN.
He singled out the first half as a period of dominance for Utrecht.
“I think we had a very good first half. We were much better than Sparta. The defeat is all the more bitter because we played well,” El Karouani added, highlighting the contrast between performance and result.
Utrecht’s inability to convert opportunities, the defender said, came down largely to misfortune.
“I think it’s pure bad luck that we didn’t score. We had so many chances. It’s difficult,” Souffian said, underlining the team’s frustration at failing to capitalize on their chances.
Sparta, in contrast, were clinical with their limited opportunities, taking the lead and holding on to secure the win.
The match also saw unrest among the home crowd, with whistles and boos audible across the stadium.
When asked about the incident, El Karouani avoided commenting, stating: “I don’t need to talk about it now, I want to talk about the match. It has nothing to do with football.”
Despite the setback, the left-back remains positive about Utrecht’s prospects.
He believes the team can build on their strong performances in the upcoming fixtures.
“We need to continue this momentum, because we played well,” Souffian said, suggesting that confidence in their style of play remains intact despite the disappointing scoreline.
The loss leaves Utrecht still searching for their first victory of the year, but El Karouani’s comments reflect a belief that the team’s quality on the pitch will eventually translate into results.
