Feyenoord wrap up league campaign with a win against RKC
Feyenoord took all three points against RKC Waalwijk in the final regular game of the Eredivisie season on Sunday. The encounter had that familiar end-of-season feel to it, but goals from Nicolai Jørgensen, Jens Toornstra and Steven Berghuis did secure a 3-0 win at De Kuip. The same venue will now host Feyenoord’s European qualification playoff against Sparta Rotterdam on Wednesday.
The hosts were mainly playing for pride after their draw at Heracles in midweek, which left them stranded in fifth. The situation was a similar one for RKC Waalwijk, who had a three-point cushion and a vastly superior goal difference to their advantage over the chasers in their quest for survival at the bottom end of the table.
Starting debut for El Bouchataoui
Knowing that a playoff was coming, Dick Advocaat tinkered with his starting eleven compared with his most recent line-ups. Nick Marsman was handed a start between the sticks behind central defender Uros Spajic. And Achraf El Bouchataoui made his first-ever start, lining up as a defensive midfielder.
It was to be an unforgettable afternoon for the youngster, who performed well and ended up playing the full 90 minutes. The game was probably less memorable for everyone else, however, with Feyenoord not exactly brimming with brio. That said, the hosts did manage to grab two goals in the opening 45 minutes to give themselves something to celebrate. Nicolai Jørgensen and Jens Toornstra were the scorers.
Berghuis MVP
Steven Berghuis scored a third for the hosts not long after the restart, with Luis Sinisterra claiming an assist. The Feyenoord captain made no mistake with a thumping finish after a good lay off by the Colombian, notching goal number 18 of the Eredivisie season. His assist for Jørgensen’s opener means he’s been involved in 31 goals in all this term.
Feyenoord decided to take it down a notch or two after the third goal. There was also a brief interruption when fans managed to penetrate the stadium perimeter and let off fireworks. Advocaat then made some personnel changes. Mark Diemers, Róbert Bozeník and João Teixeira were all sent on to minimise any risks ahead of the playoffs. The only concern was Lutsharel Geertruida, who had been forced to retire after just 20 minutes.
Sparta Rotterdam next
City neighbours Sparta also ended the season with a win, which secured them an eighth-place finish. That means they will travel the short distance across Rotterdam to face Feyenoord in the playoff semi-final on Wednesday (kick-off 21:00 CET.
- Nicolai Jørgensen
- Steven Berghuis
- Jens Toornstra
- Feyenoord 1
- Achraf El Bouchataoui