Feyenoord came back from 2-0 down to beat 10-man neighbours Excelsior 3-2 in the Rotterdam derby.

000kazomAfter holding Roma to a famous 1-1 draw in Rome midweek Feyenoord were brought back down to earth by neighbours Excelsior in a first half dominated by Rotterdam’s third club.

After only seven minutes Tom van Weert volleyed past Kenneth Vermeer to stun the home crowd and the striker doubled the lead after the half hour mark after slotting in a cross from Jordan Botaka. It could have been worse for the home side before the break but Botaka fired just over the bar, while Vermeer made a great save to deny Daryl van Mieghem.

At the break Feyenoord boss Fred Rutten rang the changes with Anass Achabar and Jens Toornstra coming on, and the latter played a crucial role in Feyenoord getting back in the game. Toornstra set up Colin Kazim Richards in the box and after the striker’s shot was blocked by Jurgen Mattheij’s hand the referee awarded a penalty and a red card to the Excelsior defender. Kazim Richards slotted the penalty into the net for his 10th of the season.

Chance after chance was passed up by Feyenoord until the 77th minute when Lex Immer’s knockdown was prodded into the net by Toornstra. Feyenoord then completed the comeback two minutes later with Immers heading Kazim Richards cross past Damen at the back post.

Elvis Manu made his long awaited return after injury but the winger produced one of the misses of the season so far, somehow scooping over the bar from a yard out.

With the win Feyenoord reclaim third spot and are now only six points behind second placed Ajax. Excelsior sit 14th.




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