Riding a two-game winning streak, home side PEC Zwolle were looking to further widen the gap to the relegation zone and win three straight league games for the first time since 2019.
On their way to a first streak of such in six years was an FC Utrecht side which had won just one of their previous six Eredivisie games and lost sight of the two teams above them.
It were the visitors opened fire after fifteen minutes when American international Paxten Aaronson wasn’t able to beat PEC goalkeeper Mike Hauptmeijer with an effort aimed at the top left corner.
Just three minutes later, the home side opened the scoring after Jamiro Monteiro delivered a sharp free-kick into the penalty area and Dylan Vente calmly slotted the ball home.
PEC doubled their lead only a few minutes before the break when Davy van den Berg expertly controlled and finished a Filip Krastev deep ball.
An inspired FC Utrecht resumed the game with confidence after the break and first came close when French winger Yoann Cathline made his way through the PEC defense, but couldn’t find a team-mate to finish his pass.
The away team reduced PEC’s lead to one goal just ten minutes after the start of the second half when Antony Descotte spectacularly fired a shot in the top left corner after a skilful backheel pass from Sebastien Haller.
Utrecht found the equaliser just four minutes later when Oscar Fraulo profited from a major mistake from goalkeeper Hauptmeijer and calmly finished his chance after intercepting a faulty pass from the stopper.
Mistakes kept adding up for either side when Utrecht defender Matisse Didden failed to properly clear a ball and handed Dylan Vente another shot at a goal which the striker would not go to waste.
PEC weren’t in the clear yet and conceded another equaliser in the 83rd minute after Mike Hauptmeijer completely mishandled a shot from distance from Souffian El Karouani and handed Nick Viergever a goal after Hauptmeijer deflected the shot the wrong way.
A quick VAR review couldn’t stop Utrecht from salvaging a point from a tough away game in Zwolle. The visitors dropped points for the sixth time in seven Eredivisie games and could see rivals Ajax widen the gap to 7 points if the Amsterdam side beat Feyenoord in Sunday’s ‘Klassieker’ derby.
PEC Zwolle jumped to 24 points with Saturday’s draw, temporarily taking a 7-point gap to the relegation zone.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Dylan Vente (PEC Zwolle)