Feyenoord outclassed at home by Bayer Leverkusen in UEFA Champions League
Feyenoord made a less-than-ideal start to their UEFA Champions League campaign on Thursday. The Rotterdammers conceded four goals in the first half against German champions Bayer Leverkusen at home, leading to a final score of 0-4. This followed PSV’s heavy defeat at the hands of Juventus earlier this week in the competition.
Brian Priske gave South Korean midfielder Hwang In-Beom his debut in the match. The midfielder was signed by Red Star Belgrade last summer but was not eligible to play until now due to work permit issues.
It was a poor start to the match for the Rotterdammers as they went a goal down in the fifth minute. Ramiz Zerrouki lost the ball in the midfield, which was punished by Florian Wirtz, who hit it low and hard into the bottom corner. It was Leverkusen’s earliest goal scored away from home in the Champions League.
Leverkusen’s second goal came in the 30th minute. Striker Victor Boniface powered past two Feyenoord players before playing a skillful no-look pass to Dutch international Jeremie Frimpong, whose low cross found the team’s other wing back, Alejandro Grimaldo, at the far post. The Spanish fullback only had to tap it home to make it 0-2.
Six minutes later, it was 0-3. A counterattack gave Frimpong the space to get his second assist as he played an inch-perfect cross to Wirtz, who side-footed it home with ease.
It already looked like an impossible job for the home side, but it worsened shortly before halftime. A free kick from Grimaldo was sent to the far post, where Edmond Tapsoba headed it back across and saw it go in via some poor goalkeeping from Timon Wellenreuther.
The second half was a low-key affair. Leverkusen preserved their energy and did not try to force more goals, while Feyenoord lacked the quality to trouble the reigning German champions.
Pressure will now mount on the new manager, Priske, who has also made a poor start in the league. The KNVB cup holders face the newly promoted NAC Breda on Sunday in the Eredivisie.
