Ineffective Feyenoord can't get further than 1-1 at NEC
Feyenoord failed to profit off the points dropped by Ajax and PSV this weekend. Arne Slot's side drew 1-1 against NEC, who recorded their sixth draw in a row in the Eredivisie. Feyenoord is in fourth place after eight matches, three points behind the new leaders' AZ.
Feyenoord started the match with the same eleven players for the fourth match in a row. Slot saw a lot of players leave last summer and got a lot of new players in return. It seems that, for the time being, he has found his ideal formation.
Signings like Santiago Gimenez and Igor Paixao will have to make do with sub appearances for now.
The Rotterdam team started strongly in De Goffert and created two opportunities through captain Orkun Kokcü and striker Danilo in the match's early stages. Danilo headed the ball straight at goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen from a corner from the right side. Feyenoord against NEC was also a battle between Cillessen and Justin Bijlow, the keepers who are both hoping to start for the Dutch national team at the World Cup at the end of the year.
Cillessen was beaten midway through the first half by Quinten Timber. The midfielder shrugged off Oussama Tannane in the middle of the pitch and hit a hard shot into the corner after a combination with Danilo.
NEC equalized after 37 minutes through Ivan Marquez. The Spanish defender had come forward and was able to put his foot against a hard low cross from Tannane: 1-1.
Feyenoord created very few chances after halftime. The best chances even went to NEC. Tannane tried an attempt from a far distance when Bijlow was out of his goal. The goalkeeper was fortunate that the ball went narrowly over. A few moments later, Landry Dimata was a fraction too late to tap in a cross from Bart van Rooij.
Slot brought on Gimenez, Sebastian Szymanski, and the newly fit Lutsharel Geertruida after an hour. A while later, the South American attackers Paixao and Ezequiel Bullaude were also brought on. Feyenoord still did not come close to the winning goal.
Reporting by ANP