Feyenoord ran into the second defeat of 2022 in an at times turbulent duel with AZ (2-1) on Sunday. Trainer Arne Slot, who returned to Alkmaar for the first time after his much-discussed dismissal, saw an unrecognizable team in the AFAS Stadium, especially in the first half. AZ used two penalties and saw a goal canceled due to offside. Feyenoord became stronger after the break and came back into the game via Lutsharel Geertruida. However, it was not enough to avert the second loss after the winter break. Number four AZ is now three points behind number three Feyenoord: 51 to 48 points.
It went wrong for Feyenoord for the first time in the eighteenth minute, which made a particularly vulnerable impression in the first half. Jorrit Hendrix didn’t even touch the breakthrough Dani de Wit that hard, but for referee Dennis Higler there was no doubt: penalty for AZ. The VAR agreed with the referee’s decision after a check. At Feyenoord, people still thought of AZ offside. Nevertheless, the ball went on the spot. Jesper Karlsson then sent goalkeeper Justin Bijlow the wrong way from eleven yards: 1-0. Hendrix was also booked for the minor foul on De Wit.
† @AZAlkmaar leads 2-0 at halftime thanks to two penalty kicks! †#AZFEY pic.twitter.com/mPYYm0SHHH
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) February 27, 2022
In the 26th minute it became unfriendly in Alkmaar, with a clash between former Feyenoord player Bruno Martins Indi and Orkun Kökçü. Both players were shown a yellow card by Higler, although the foul was on the Feyenoord midfielder. After half an hour of play, the afternoon became even more dramatic for the visitors. After a cross from the left, Tyrell Malacia gave Yukinari Sugawara a push just before his own goal. There didn’t seem to be much going on, but Higler again gave a penalty to AZ and a yellow card to the left back of Feyenoord. Bijlow chose the right angle this time, although that was not enough to parry Karlsson’s bet: 2-0. The Swede is the first player since Dusan Tadic in 2013 to use a penalty twice in a game against Feyenoord.
Ten minutes before half time, the ball was back in Feyenoord’s goal. Vangelis Pavlidis hit the post with a header, but the alert and outstanding De Wit tapped in the 3-0 from close range. After a check, the VAR ruled that the midfielder was offside at the time of shooting, so Feyenoord could breathe a sigh of relief. Shortly afterwards, the same De Wit was also booked for a fairly serious foul on Malacia. In the final phase of the exciting first half, Bijlow saved Feyenoord by beautifully turning a bet by Karlsson. The team from Rotterdam were happy that the halftime signal sounded after the four minutes of injury time.
Jesper Karlsson hit Feyenoord twice from a penalty kick.
Slot intervened halfway through: Marcus Holmgren Pedersen replaced Malacia, moving right back Geertruida to the left side of the Feyenoord defence. The same Geertruida brought the tension back in minute 52 with a close-up goal: 2-1. Pedersen and Sinisterra combined beautifully after an hour of play, but the cross from the Colombian wing attacker was not for Guus Til. Halfway through the exciting second half, goalkeeper Peter Vindahl Jensen defused a header from Gernot Trauner. In the 73rd minute, former AZ player Alireza Jahanbakhsh came in. Jens Toornstra went back one line and Hendrix left the field in Alkmaar.
Shortly afterwards, Toornstra was the victim of a foul by former Feyenoord player Jordy Clasie, who was also booked by Higler. A few minutes later, Kökçü saw a shot disappear past AZ’s goal. Winter addition Patrik Wälemark also came in for Bryan Linssen. Jahanbakhsh went on to play as the deepest striker. With two minutes left on the clock, Marcos Senesi made way for Cole Bassett. A minute later, De Wit charged at Bijlow’s goal from the right, before passing the ball in front. An ultimate save of the sprinted Pedersen kept Feyenoord alive. Despite the five minutes of injury time, the defeat could no longer be avoided for Slot’s team.
Arne Slot returned to Alkmaar for the first time after his much-discussed dismissal from AZ.