FC Twente eliminates Feyenoord after extension from cup tournament

Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 8:37 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 20:40

FC Twente reached the eighth final in the TOTO KNVB Cup on Wednesday evening at the expense of Feyenoord. After a 1-1 draw in regular time, an extension was necessary, in which substitute Manfred Ugalde determined the final score at 2-1. Feyenoord was the dominant party for large parts of the match, but constantly encountered Lars Unnerstall and could not avert a mental blow in the run-up to the Classic in the Eredivisie.

Twente, the number five in the Eredivisie, played with the same players as on Sunday against RKC Waalwijk (2-1 win). Feyenoord changed the line-up in three positions compared to the game with FC Groningen (1-1) on Sunday. In the point of the attack, Cyriel Dessers was preferred over Bryan Linssen, who started on the bench. In the front right, Arne Slot cleared a starting spot for Jahanbakhsh, as a result of which Jens Toornstra also took a seat on the bench. In the back, Lutsharel Geertruida started at right back instead of Marcus Pedersen.

Dessers, who two and a half weeks ago already missed a few opportunities as a substitute to give Feyenoord a victory over Twente in the Eredivisie, failed to give his team the lead in the fourth minute. After preparatory work by Guus Til, the striker shot past from a difficult angle. Six minutes later, the ball landed in the penalty area favorably for Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who shot hard into the inside of the left post and saw the ball leave the goal mouth again. On the other side Justin Bijlow had little trouble with a bet from Michal Sadílek. Ten minutes before the break, Unnerstall prevented the 0-1 of the emerging Lutsharel Geertruida with a cat-like reflex, who was found in the penalty area after a nice pass by Luis Sinisterra.

In the final phase of the first half, Twente also hit the post: Ramiz Zerrouki hit the aluminum in the rebound from a free kick. Gernot Trauner nodded from a corner from Orkun Kökçü wide, as a result of which the first half ended without goals. That changed shortly after the break, because Dessers opened the score. Pedersen, who came in for Trauner during the break, held off fellow substitute Dimitrios Limnios and served Kökçü, who enabled Jahanbakhsh to pass the ball. At the far post, Dessers was completely free to finish.

Apart from the goal, Feyenoord started the first half strongly. Arne Slot’s team was a lot fiercer than Twente, captured the ball as quickly as possible and pushed the home team back. The good game almost resulted in the 0-2 after an hour: Jahanbakhsh hit the post for the second time in the match, this time with a hard shot from the turn. Twente hardly came into play, but came alongside twelve minutes before the end. Bijlow was twice out of position, chasing after balls he couldn’t claim, before Giovanni Troupée found space in a crowded penalty area for a successful shot and his first goal for Twente.

In the remainder of the match, Feyenoord in particular looked for the winning goal, but an extension proved necessary. There were serious opportunities for Kökçü, Dessers and substitute Linssen, but Unnerstall was constantly on the lookout. Fellow goalkeeper Bijlow saved Ugalde’s shot, but was transfixed when Twente took the lead against the odds in minute 114. After a pass from Limnios, Denilho Cleonise put the ball back, allowing Ugalde to pick the right corner. Mark Diemers tried to force extra extension from a free kick, but outstanding Unnerstall kept the ball out of the bottom corner. In the last minute of stoppage time, Unnerstall also prevented Dessers from equalizing.