Souffian El Karouani produced a masterful display on Sunday, registering three assists as FC Utrecht eased past Excelsior 4-1 at Stadion Galgenwaard in the Eredivisie.
The Moroccan full-back was at the heart of Utrecht’s attacking play, delivering a performance that underlined his growing influence in the side.
His creativity set the tone for a commanding win that marked Utrecht’s second league victory of the season.
The breakthrough came shortly before the half-hour mark.
El Karouani whipped in a corner to the near post, where Miguel Rodriguez rose highest to glance a header beyond Excelsior goalkeeper Calvin Raatsie.
El Karouani’s impact was felt again just before the interval.
This time, his precise delivery from wide found De Min, who converted confidently to double the home side’s advantage.
By the break, Utrecht were firmly in control, with El Karouani already having shaped the outcome of the match.
The 23-year-old completed his hat-trick of assists early in the second half.
Spotting a perfectly timed run, he slid a clever through ball into the path of Victor Jensen.
The left-back met it with a thunderous strike that flew past Raatsie, extending Utrecht’s lead to 3-0.
Even after El Karouani’s influence had all but secured the points, Utrecht continued to press.
Jensen struck again nine minutes later, completing his brace and adding further gloss to the scoreline.
The afternoon was capped by the introduction of Sébastien Haller, who came off the bench to make his third debut for the club, greeted warmly by the home support.
3 – Souffian El Karouani is the first FC Utrecht player with three assists in an Eredivisie match since Edouard Duplan in February 2015. Provider. pic.twitter.com/QiCcragWeB
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) August 24, 2025
Excelsior pulled one back late on, but it proved little more than consolation as Utrecht comfortably managed the closing stages.
The 4-1 victory highlighted not only their attacking potential but also El Karouani’s growing reputation as one of the Eredivisie’s most effective full-backs.
For Utrecht, it was a convincing performance that places them in a strong position early in the campaign.
With PEC Zwolle awaiting next week, the Dutch side will look to build on the momentum — and they will no doubt hope El Karouani can maintain his fine run of form.
The Moroccan’s display, capped by a rare hat-trick of assists, was the defining storyline of the match and a reminder of his ability to dictate play from deep.
