Feyenoord show more nerve

Monday 10 November 2008

Feyenoord seem to continue up the curve of improvement as they yesterday beat FC Utrecht 5-2 and gained the second league win in a row.

It was a curious match in which Feyenoord had the better start and scored an early goal.

Then the game changed face several times.

FC Utrecht took the initiative after Van Bronchorst's deflected free kick in the fifth minute and had several good chances to equalize.

But Feyenoord always remained dangerous on the counter attack and after half an hour Diego Biseswar struck twice within five minutes to seemingly decide the game.

However Feyenoord's comfortable cushion didn't last very long as only three minutes after Biseswar's second the visitors pulled one back when Aljé Schut was allowed a free header by a hesitant Feyenoord keeper Henk Timmer.

Shortly after the break Utrecht even drew back one more.

It was a hilarious goal when Feyenoord keeper Henk Timmer tried to clear a lose ball, hit it against the back of the challenging Utrecht forward Mihai Nesu and saw it curving into the back of the net.

Feyenoord then were on the brink of crumbling yet again as Utrecht came close to equalizing several times, but good goal keeping of Timmer kept Feyenoord's one goal lead alive.

In the mean time the hosts also had chances to decide the game, Giovanni van Bronckhorst going closest with a screaming free kick on the inside of the post.

Then with Utrecht unable to score their third Feyenoord decide the game in the final minutes.

First Roy Makaay served Karim El Ahmadi with a brilliant flick for 4-2 and then the former Deportivo and Bayern Munich striker finished it all of when he was at the end of a fast counter attack and blasted the ball high into the Utrecht goal from 16 meters out.

The grapes were sore for Utrecht and their coach Willem van Hanegem, for whom it was the first game back in charge after he had been ill with the flue and stress for ten days.

"In the second half I think there was only team making the game, so I think we deserved the equalizer," Van Hanegem said.

Feyenoord coach Gertjan Verbeek sort of agreed: "The score was flattering, but in the end I feel we deserved to win."

The Rotterdammers now leave the relegation zone behind and find themselves on 12th spot, 11 points behind the leading trio AZ, Ajax and NAC.