A double from Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez and a valiant defensive effort handed Dutch facet Feyenoord a shock 3-0 Champions League win over Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
The shock defeat signifies that Bayern, six instances champions of Europe, will greater than probably face a play-off match to advance into the last-16.
“We’re not afraid of the Champions League playoffs. If we’ve to go in there, then we’ve to go in,” mentioned Bayern coach Vincent Kompany.
“It’s important to earn the highest eight. And the format was designed exactly to create rigidity. However like I mentioned: it’s important to earn it.”
On a rain-swept night time in Rotterdam, Feyenoord belied their poor latest home type, holding agency on the again and hitting their illustrious opponents with speedy counter-attacks.
Bayern dominated possession in a cagey opening quarter as each side struggled with driving rain and a slippery floor.
Feyenoord had made no secret of their technique to hit Bayern on the break and it was a pinpoint lengthy ball by left-back Gijs Smal that broke the impasse after 21 minutes.
Smal’s cross completely bisected the Bayern defence and was brilliantly collected by Gimenez, who curled the ball previous the veteran Manuel Neuer.
Falling behind appeared to galvanise the guests, who practically equalised when French winger Kingsley Coman fizzed the ball throughout the objective however there was nobody to faucet in.
England’s Harry Kane had a gilt-edged change to open Bayern’s account deep into the primary half however might solely hearth his shot into Feyenoord’s defence from shut vary.
Bayern pressed laborious however Feyenoord defended stoutly and once more hit the Germans on the break within the ninth minute of added time on the finish of the primary interval.
Raphael Guerreiro was adjudged to have fouled Calvin Stengs within the field, Gimenez making no mistake from the spot, sending the ever-boisterous followers in De Kuip into raptures and Feyenoord right into a 2-0 half-time lead.
The second half noticed wave after wave of German assaults however they might not discover a approach to unlock the well-organised Feyenoord defence and beat the superb Justin Bijlow in objective.
Playmaker Jamal Musiala compelled a pointy save from point-blank vary on 60 minutes as Feyenoord sat ever deeper, each deal with cheered as if the sport had been received.
Bijlow tipped over a robust Musiala header and the house followers breathed a sigh of aid when the publish saved out an effort from substitute Leroy Sane.
With seven minutes to play, Kompany introduced on Germany legend Thomas Mueller and he made a right away influence, sliding via a cross that just about performed in Sane.
However even Mueller couldn’t break down the wall and substitute Ayase Ueda put the icing on the cake with a 3rd on 89 minutes to seal a well-known night time for the Feyenoord devoted.
Bayern subsequent face winless Slovan Bratislava at residence, whereas Feyenoord wrap up their Champions League marketing campaign away at Lille.
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