Feyenoord prevails in Sittard and can focus on important month of March

Not a penny hurt for Feyenoord in Sittard. The Rotterdammers set themselves up for a tricky afternoon in advance, but Fortuna were swept aside fairly easily, except for a brief phase after half-time: 2-4.

The frontrunner, with Gernot Trauner on the bench recovered from a knee injury, made the difference in the first half and got help twice from the home team.

First, right back Ximo Navarro worked a corner from Orkun Kökcü, who had returned from suspension, behind his own goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, after David Hancko’s through header.

After Mats Wieffer’s 0-2, a devastating strike from outside the box, Arianit Ferati fouled in the build-up just before the break. Alireza Jahanbakhsh picked up the ball and enabled Santiago Giménez to score.

Fortuna, without suspended coach Julio Velázquez, came out of the locker room as reborn and quickly forced the 1-3. George Cox hit the post and then Deroy Duarte, after Burak Yilmaz laid back, scored effectively.

The Limburg storm gradually subsided, after which Feyenoord regained the initiative. Igor Paixão, cold in the field, worked the ball in via Cox and that did break Fortuna’s resistance.

Watch reactions from Arne Slot, Orkun Kökcü and Deroy Duarte below.

In the closing stages Feyenoord consolidated their lead, although Dimitrios Siovas still headed the 2-4 from a corner kick. Coach Arne Slot allowed central defender Trauner to get his first minutes since Nov. 13, which was good news given the upcoming important games.

Wednesday first the quarterfinals in the KNVB Cup in and against Heerenveen are on the program. March will also see the European clashes with Shachtar Donetsk and, not unimportantly, the topper against Ajax on Sunday, March 19.