Feyenoord loses to Salzburg and misses out on top ranking in the Champions League

NOS Football•yesterday, 10:58 PM

Feyenoord was surprised by Red Bull Salzburg in the group stage of the Champions League. In De Kuip, the Rotterdam team was no match for the Austrian team, which achieved its first victory in the billion dollar ball under Dutch coach Pepijn Lijnders: 1-3.

Due to the defeat, Feyenoord is now in 21st place in the rankings. With a new victory – previously they had won well against Benfica (3-1) and Girona (3-2) – Feyenoord had climbed to ninth place and had almost guaranteed a place in the next round.

Numbers one to eight in the Champions League advance directly to the round of 16, while numbers 9 to 24 play an intermediate round. Feyenoord will still have to gain points in the remaining matches against Manchester City (November 26), Sparta Prague (December 11), Bayern Munich (January 22) and LOSC Lille (January 29).

Feyenoord coach Brian Priske came up with a surprising line-up. He chose Luka Ivanusec to replace the injured Antoni Milambo in midfield. In the competition match against AZ, Ramiz Zerrouki was still preferred.

The Danish trainer also had to be creative at the front. Strikers Santiago Gimenez and Ayase Ueda are absent for a longer period of time and the expected replacement Julián Carranza was also missing due to an injury. Ibrahim Osman started at the point of attack and Bart Nieuwkoop was posted in the right wing position.

Lijnders, head coach of RB Salzburg since last summer and before that assistant to Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool, has had a difficult start at his new club.

The Austrians reached the group stage of the Champions League via FC Twente, among others, but lost in the first three rounds to Sparta Prague (3-0), Stade Brestois (0-4) and Dinamo Zagreb (0-2).

Feyenoord was already threatening in the third minute. Ibrahim Osman passed defender Kamil Piatkowski and passed, but Nieuwkoop was unable to get a shot between the Salzburg defenders.

Not much later, Igor Paixao also took aim at goalkeeper Janis Blaswich (former Heracles Almelo), but in vain. Salzburg was not afraid and was close to Feyenoord. That ended well for the Rotterdammers several times.

After the promising opening phase, Feyenoord was unable to follow up. The team played with difficulty under the pressure of Salzburg and hardly created any chances in the remainder of the first half.

Just before half time things went wrong for Feyenoord. Goalkeeper Wellenreuther threw the ball out, but out of Paixao’s reach. Salzburg took over and Karim Konaté was then able to head in freely.

Feyenoord made two changes at half-time: Chris Nadje and Anis Hadj Moussa replaced Osman and Jordan Lotomba. Paixao moved to the striker position and immediately had a great opportunity. The Brazilian headed just wide.

Priske’s double substitution did not have the desired result. The lack of a real striker also made itself felt with Paixao in the point.

In the 58th minute, Konaté was most alert at a corner and he fired in his second via the leg of Gernot Trauner. Yet Feyenoord had chances to score the tying goal. Nieuwkoop’s header went just wide and Nadje had a good shooting opportunity, but his shot lacked power.

The same Nadje had to leave the field a little later. His foot landed unluckily on an opponent’s ankle and after consulting the VAR, the referee drew red.

Hadj Moussa made it 2-1 with a beautiful shot. The winger moved the ball past goalkeeper Blaswich with the outside of his foot.

There was no question of a final offensive for Feyenoord. Shortly after the tying goal, De Kuip’s hopes were dashed again. After a foul by David Hancko in the penalty area, Konaté was allowed to score from eleven meters. However, the Ivorian shot hard onto the crossbar.

A minute later the Austrians scored again. Daouda Guindo blasted the ball hard into the top corner from a distance, definitively ending the game.