Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 4:23 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 16:39

Feyenoord finishes fifth in the Eredivisie this season. The team of trainer Dick Advocaat did not pass Heracles Almelo (1-1) on Thursday afternoon and can therefore no longer rise or fall in the last round of play. The Rotterdammers will therefore enter the play-offs for European football. Heracles is ninth and can also qualify for the same play-offs.

Feyenoord again had access to Steven Berghuis and Jens Toornstra, who returned from suspension. On the other hand, Tyrell Malacia was suspended, giving Ridgeciano Haps a starting spot. In addition, Nicolai Jörgensen started from kick-off for the first time in four months, due to groin complaints at Bryan Linssen. Feyenoord looked more threatening in the first half and got a few chances, but Janis Blaswich did not get into major problems. Fellow goalkeeper Justin Bijlow tapped a hard long shot by Delano Burgzorg over the bar in the thirteenth minute.

Eight minutes before half-time, Rai Vloet appeared to be able to shoot, but passed the ball to Ismail Azzaoui. He just failed to take the ball well and was trumped by Bijlow. Feyenoord appeared less convincing in the second half than before half-time, despite the fact that the score at Fortuna Sittard – Vitesse must have been satisfactory for the team from Rotterdam. Still, Feyenoord took the lead. After a good combination, Orkun Kökçü took off from about twenty meters and Blaswich estimated the ball completely wrong: 0-1.

Feyenoord could not enjoy that lead for long. Referee Jeroen Manschot awarded Heracles a penalty a few minutes after the goal, after contact between Eric Botteghin and Azzaoui. From eleven meters, Sinan Bakis sent goalkeeper Bijlow in the wrong direction. In the last round of play, Feyenoord will play at home against RKC Waalwijk. In the play-offs, the Advocaat team will compete against the number eight in the Eredivisie.