No reward for excellent play, says Advocaat
Dick Advocaat could find little fault with his side’s performance against Rangers on Thursday. Speaking straight after the match, the head coach praised Feyenoord’s display, especially in the first half, but clearly felt they could have got more than a 2-2 draw. ‘We didn’t reward ourselves,’ was Advocaat’s view.
The one-time Rangers head coach saw Feyenoord play their best football under his stewardship in the opening 45 minutes. ‘If you can do this against a strong team like Rangers, it’s a statement. We had three or four good opportunities, but didn’t score enough. Their striker headed in twice from two chances. That’s the difference.’
Both Rangers goals came in the second period, which was patchier than the first. Advocaat had an explanation. ‘Our display before the break took a lot out of us. The boys gave everything and battled all the way. It was there for the taking, but unfortunately we didn’t win.’
The draw does not rule out an extended run in the Europa League, though. Feyenoord winning at Porto, while Rangers overcome Young Boys is what it takes. ‘Anything’s possible. It’ll certainly be interesting in Porto,’ Advocaat concluded with a smile.