The first Plate quarter-final of the Utrecht Sevens brought together Panini Boys of the Netherlands and Fenerbahce SK of Turkey in what proved to be a thrilling knockout encounter. Panini Boys had endured a difficult group phase, finishing as the only team across the three groups without a point, although they had competed in a very challenging Group A where several matches had been decided by fine margins. Fenerbahce SK, meanwhile, had enjoyed a solid debut campaign, collecting four points from their four group matches and showing they were more than capable of competing at this level. With both teams now entering the knockout stages, everything was reset, and a place in the Plate semi-finals was the prize.

The opening half was a tightly contested affair, with both sides showing attacking intent. It was Panini Boys who struck first when Julian Flohr found the net to give the Dutch side the lead. However, Fenerbahce responded impressively and quickly turned the game around. Farkan Usta continued his excellent tournament by scoring his third goal of the competition to bring the Turkish side level, before Kemal Cadrak completed the comeback by putting Fenerbahce 2-1 ahead. That proved to be the difference between the teams at the interval, with Fenerbahce holding a narrow advantage at half-time.

Panini Boys came out strongly after the break and were rewarded for their efforts when Joren Bongaerts scored his second goal of the tournament to make it 2-2. From that point onwards, the match became a true knockout battle, with both teams knowing that one mistake could end their tournament. Neither side could find the decisive breakthrough, and after an entertaining and evenly matched contest, the game finished level at 2-2, meaning penalties would be required to determine who progressed.

What followed was a penalty shootout full of drama, nerves and missed opportunities. Farkan Usta stepped up first for Fenerbahce and calmly converted, before Wouter de Blegser replied for Panini Boys. Hassan then missed for Fenerbahce, allowing Joren Bongaerts to put the Dutch side ahead, but Canberk Sayan restored parity at 2-2. Yorel Rozman had the chance to put Panini Boys within one kick of victory but missed, only for Elyasa Kurt to give Fenerbahce the lead again. Julian Flohr levelled the shootout, Kemal Cadrak made it 4-3, and Lieuwe de Vegt responded to keep Panini Boys alive.

The drama continued deep into sudden death. Omar Satikboya missed for Fenerbahce, giving Ahmed Hassan the chance to win it for Panini Boys, but he could not convert. Mert Sura then missed for the Turkish side, presenting Panini Boys with another opportunity – their third chance to win it. This time, they made no mistake. Mees de Rozario stepped up and held his nerve to score the decisive penalty, sending Panini Boys through with a 5-4 shootout victory.

For Fenerbahce SK, it was a heartbreaking way to exit the competition after pushing their opponents all the way. They had shown great character to recover from an early setback in normal time and came within inches of reaching the semi-finals. For Panini Boys, this was a fantastic turnaround after a difficult group stage.

The second Plate quarter-final of the Utrecht Sevens was an all-Dutch encounter as Zon70 faced The Goats, with both teams looking to extend their tournament journey and secure a place in the Plate semi-finals. Zon70 had finished fifth in Group B after a challenging group campaign, although they had shown their competitiveness by picking up two draws from their four matches. The Goats, meanwhile, had finished fourth in Group C with four points to their name. On paper, the two teams looked evenly matched, with similar defensive records and both having shown they could compete in a tightly contested tournament.

The opening exchanges reflected that balance, but it was Zon70 who managed to find the breakthrough. Bastian Baas, already among the standout performers for his side, scored his third goal of the competition to give Zon70 the lead. It was a valuable moment in a tight game, and Zon70 took that advantage into the interval with a 1-0 lead at half-time.

The second half saw Zon70 build on their strong position. They doubled their advantage when Jens van Langen found the net, putting them firmly in control at 2-0. The momentum continued to swing in their favour, and Bastian Baas added another goal to complete his brace and take his personal tally to four goals for the tournament. At 3-0, Zon70 were in a commanding position and closing in on a place in the semi-finals.

The Goats refused to give up and managed to find a consolation goal late on, giving themselves a glimmer of hope. However, there was not enough time remaining for a comeback, and Zon70 saw out the match to secure a deserved 3-1 victory. It was a strong knockout performance from a side that had battled through a difficult group stage and saved their best form for the Plate competition. For The Goats, it was the end of their Utrecht Sevens campaign, but they could reflect on a competitive tournament in which they remained in contention throughout the group phase. For Zon70, this was a moment to celebrate. After a group stage where results had not always gone their way, they produced a clinical display when it mattered most, with Bastian Baas leading the charge, to book their place in the Plate semi-finals.

The final Plate quarter-final of the Utrecht Sevens saw Southgate County of England take on Sudacas of the Netherlands, with both teams hoping to keep their tournament alive and earn a place in the Plate semi-finals. Southgate County had battled through a difficult Group A, collecting three points from their four matches in a group where every game was fiercely contested. Sudacas, meanwhile, had shown plenty of resilience in Group C, picking up two points and remaining competitive throughout their campaign. With both sides having proven difficult to break down (mostly), another close encounter was expected.

That expectation was quickly proven correct as the match developed into another tense knockout battle. Southgate County made the brighter start and were rewarded midway through the first half when they found the opening goal to take a 1-0 lead. Andrew Dunlea was the man with the goal. The English side knew how important that advantage could be in such a tight contest and would have been hoping to take their lead into the interval. However, Sudacas had other ideas, and right on the stroke of half-time they found an equaliser through Carlos Lopez to make it 1-1 heading into the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams showing discipline and commitment while searching for the decisive moment. Chances were limited as neither side wanted to make the mistake that could end their tournament. As the clock ticked down, it looked increasingly likely that penalties would be required to separate the two teams, with the match finely balanced at 1-1. But with the penalty shootout looming, Sudacas produced a dramatic late winner. Luis Tingo struck in the final minute to complete the comeback and send the Dutch side through to the Plate semi-finals with a 2-1 victory. It was a huge moment for Sudacas, who had shown great character to recover from going behind and find the decisive goal when it mattered most.

For Southgate County, it was a crushing way to exit after another competitive performance. They had matched Sudacas throughout and were only seconds away from taking the game to penalties, but ultimately the fine margins of knockout football went against them. For Sudacas, it was a memorable victory and a reward for their persistence throughout the tournament. They now move on to the Plate semi-finals full of confidence after a dramatic late win.