In an extraordinary game at De Kuip, Feyenoord required an injury time winner to see off Ukrainian’s Zorya 4-3 and progress to the Europa League group stages.
- By Michael Bell
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After a 1-1 draw in Ukraine last week, Feyenoord were confident of progression, and on eighteen minutes Mitchell Te Vrede took advantage of a scramble in the box to blast the home side into the lead from just inside the box.
It was 2-0 just before the half hour mark as Ruben Schaken turned Terence Kongolo’s knockdown into the net, and it seemed Feyenoord were cruising into the group stages when Maksym Bily turned the ball into his own net for a third goal.
However Zorya fought back, with Ruslan Malinovskiy glancing a diving header past Erwin Mulder from a free kick to make it 3-1 on 56 minutes. Then with 20 minutes to go Bily was left totally unmarked at the back post from a corner, and the defender made up for his earlier error by pulling another goal back.
Feyenoord were rocked and on 78 minutes a Lex Immers slip allowed Malinovskiy to collect the ball, before sending a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box. Feyenoord had let a three goal lead slip through their fingers, and it seemed Zorya were going to progress on away goals.
However in the 92nd minute, substitute Elvis Manu collected the ball inside the box before spinning two defenders and slamming the ball into the net to send the whole of De Kuip into a frenzy.
It was another far from convincing performance from Feyenoord, but they now join PSV in tomorrows draw for the Europa League group stages.
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