Feyenoord have one foot in the Europa League playoffs after a 4-0 victory over Dinamo Tbilisi in De Kuip.
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Jaap Stam had to do without a fit centre-forward against the Georgian side meaning Steven Berghuis began through the middle. Bart Nieuwkoop came in at right-back, while Renato Tapia was chosen in midfield.
Feyenoord began strongly and should have been ahead in the second minute when a Berghuis shot was parried into the path of Sam Larsson, but the winger fired over the bar.
The hosts were dominant but they could not find the opening goal until the 42nd minute. After a combination between Berghuis and Larsson, the ball was presented to Luis Sinisterra, who found the net with an excellent strike.
Minutes into the second half, Orkun Kokcu was played in on goal but the midfielder failed to control the ball properly and eventually fired wide.
Both sides had chances but in the 79th minute the game swung in Feyenoord’s favour when Akaki Shulaia was shown his second yellow card.
Playing against ten men, Feyenoord ran riot in the last ten minutes to secure a simple victory. A free-kick by Berghuis was deflected into his own net by Davit Kobouri to make it 2-0. Berghuis then made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after a handball before Luciano Narsingh completed the rout with a tap-in late on.
Feyenoord head to Georgia next week with a handsome lead and can almost start planning for a meeting with either IFK Norrköping or Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the playoff round.
Somebody please pass the salt and pepper so that I can eat my words from yesterday. Congrats to Feyenoord on a great victory. Now all we need is a repeat in Georgia.