Feyenoord draw 2-2 with FC Midtjylland in Rotterdam
Feyenoord against FC Midtjylland finished 2-2 for the second week in a row. After last week’s meeting between the two sides in Denmark ended level, the Rotterdammers were also not able to beat the Danes at home in Rotterdam. Quinten Timber and David Hancko scored Feyenoord’s goals.
Feyenoord’s group was perfectly balanced before the match, with every team having four points in the group. Feyenoord started the match top of the group on goal difference, with their Danish opponents in the second position.
Justin Bijlow had to make his first save after six minutes. A through ball by Evander found Gustav Isaksen, who beat the young Peruvian left-back Marcos Lopez to the ball. Bijlow’s save from Isaksen was just about enough to push the ball wide for a corner.
Midtjylland took the lead after 16 minutes. Alireza Jahanbaksch lost the ball in the midfield, and Emiliano Martinez took full advantage, driving the ball into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out.
Feyenoord somehow didn’t equalize after 18 minutes. Sebastien Szymanski’s corner found Gerhard Trauner, whose header hit the post before bouncing straight back to the Austrian; this time, his header was saved by Jonas Lossl in the Midtjylland net.
Arne Slot’s team did get their equalizer after 32 minutes. A long ball found Santiago Gimenez, who found Szymanski. Instead of shooting, the Polish winger chose to pass the ball to Quinten Timber in the center. Lossl could not keep Timber’s shot out despite getting a hand to it.
The Rotterdammers made a perfect start to the second half, taking the lead within three minutes. A corner by Orkun Kokcü was flicked on beautifully by Lutsharel Geertruida to the far post, where defender David Hancko was waiting to score his second goal in a week, having scored vs. FC Twente at the weekend.
Ten minutes later, Midtjylland also showed their set piece prowess as they equalized through a center back of their own. A free kick by Evander was swung into the box to captain Erik Sviatchenko, who nodded the ball into the far corner to give us a familiar scoreline of 2-2.
Feyenoord could have nicked it through substitute Patrik Walemark but his effort cannoned off the post.
Both teams will now await the result of the other match in this group on Thursday evening as Lazio host Sturm Graz. Next up for Feyenoord is league leaders AZ away on Sunday in de Eredivisie.
