Disappointing start to the Eredivisie season for Feyenoord; Groningen beat NAC 4-1
Feyenoord started their 2024-25 Eredivisie season in disappointing fashion, drawing 1-1 at home to Willem II. PSV ended the first Eredivisie table of the season on top after beating RKC 5-1.
It took Feyenoord 12 minutes to take the lead against Willem II on Saturday. Santiago Gimenez completely missed the ball when trying an overhead kick, but this led to Antoni Milambo volleying it into the far corner. It was Milambo's second goal in his last two matches after he also scored in the Johan Cruijff Schaal victory against PSV.
However, there will be added pressure on new Feyenoord manager Brian Priske's decision to replace goalkeeper Justin Bijlow with Timon Wellenreuther after the German made a mistake, resulting in Willem II snatching an equalizer. A long ball was played into the box, which Wellenreuther came out to punch away, but he was too late, and Kyan Vaesen took full advantage, heading it into the net.
The Rotterdammers gave their all in injury time, hitting the crossbar due to a free kick from Ramiz Zerrouki and missing a big opportunity via David Hancko.
Reigning champions PSV continued their dominance from last season, beating RKC Waalwijk 5-1 in the Philips Stadion on Saturday.
It was an eventful first ten minutes in Eindhoven. Malik Tillman missed a chance before RKC had two significant opportunities of their own, but Yassin Oukili and Richard van der Venne didn't convert. Then, in the ninth minute, Johan Bakayoko showed how it's done by cutting inside and hitting it hard into the far corner.
Jerdy Schouten made it 2-0 in the 28th minute when Luuk de Jong found the midfielder in the box. Tillman was involved in Schouten's goal and was even more responsible for the third goal for PSV. The United States midfielder was given space outside the area, and he took advantage, hitting it high into the corner.
Hirving Lozano scored twice, which could be his last contribution for PSV, as he could leave the club in the next few weeks. The Mexican's first goal came in the 72nd minute. It was a shot from a distance that went straight through goalkeeper Jeroen Houwen.
His second came after a mistake by Oukili. The midfielder won the ball of Guus Til before losing it again to him, which led to Til playing it across the box to Lozano for his second.
This was after RKC had scored a consolation goal. Poor defending from Jordan Teze and Walter Benitez gave Van de Venne the chance to get his first goal of the season, which he did by side-footing it home.
PSV finished the Eredivisie match week top of the league, but second place went to FC Groningen. The Groningers were promoted last season from the Keuken Kampioen Divisie and faced fellow promoted side NAC Breda in the inaugural Eredivisie match of the season.
A sending-off after six minutes gave NAC the worst possible start to their season. Enes Mahmutovic's sending-off offense was in the box, so it also meant a penalty to Groningen, which Leandro Bacuna dispatched.
Groningen took full advantage of the man extra, scoring two more goals before halftime through Rui Mendes and Marco Rente.
The match's scoring was finalized by an NAC penalty scored by Dominik Janosek and the last goal of the match scored by Groningen player Jorg Schreuders.
