Again, frontrunner Feyenoord repairs a deficit, a week before The Classic
NOS Football–
Feyenoord pick up win against Volendam in second half
A week before De Klassieker, the proportions at the top of the Eredivisie are unchanged. Feyenoord were the last of the top six in action and turned a deficit against FC Volendam into a win (2-1) in a strong second half.
In a week’s time, the leaders will defend a three-point lead over Ajax at the Johan Cruijff Arena.
It was a game like many Feyenoord have played this season. After falling behind, Feyenoord forced a good result with a lot of energy. And again, coach Arne Slot’s team forced the decision deep into the second half.
Veerman on target
The quick 0-1, after a wonderful approach by Henk Veerman and finishing by Daryl van Mieghem, was already the tenth time this season that the Rotterdammers went behind. And only against PSV did Feyenoord fail to repair the damage.
It could easily have been Veerman’s match, too. In the first half he put Marcus Pedersen and Lutsharel Geertruida on the wrong foot with another artful ball control, but shot wide. And he did so again after halftime, when Mats Wieffer fouled.
Slot’s dissatisfaction was evident in his three substitutions after halftime. Geertruida struggled past Damon Mirani on power, then Santiago Giménez stoked the fire early in the second half by tapping in the equalizer.
Giménez popped off the turn at Filip Stankovic’s fists and Oussama Idrissi was also threatening a couple of times from the left. Under increasing pressure from the Rotterdammers, Mirani eventually ran the ball into his own goal more than fifteen minutes before time.
Almost eighty percent ball possession
Feyenoord prevailed, with nearly eighty percent ball possession, loudly cheered by The Legion.
Watch reactions from Arne Slot and Wim Jonk here:
But the overcrowded schedule clearly took its toll on the accuracy of the game. For the fourth time in five duels they won by just one goal difference, thanks in part to excellent goalkeeping by Stankovic. Volendam player Xavier Mbuyamba received a red card in extra time, after a foul on Ezequiel Bullaude, who had broken through.
And then Shachtar Donetsk comes to De Kuip on Thursday, with a quarterfinal place in the Europa League at stake. After the away game against Ajax, the international break comes at a good time, although the successes also mean that many Feyenoord players have to go on the international road.
