Feyenoord Falls to Westerlo in Friendly Match
Behind closed doors and away from the Eredivisie glare, Feyenoord slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Belgian side KVC Westerlo on Monday, a low-key outing that still raised a few eyebrows.
Shaqueel van Persie, son of club legend Robin, briefly lit up the afternoon. The young forward reacted quickest to a Sem Steijn corner, stealing into space and finishing sharply to give the Rotterdam side the lead. It was the kind of instinctive movement and clean strike that will only fuel the growing interest around his development.
The advantage did not last. Westerlo found an equaliser before the break and, from that moment, began to dictate the tempo. Feyenoord, built largely from Sunday’s substitutes in the 2-2 draw with Go Ahead Eagles, struggled to regain control as the Belgians grew into the game.
On the touchline, it was not Giovanni van Bronckhorst barking the orders. Assistants Sipke Hulshoff and Saïd Bakkati took charge, using the friendly to hand minutes to squad players and fringe options, a clear sign this was a workout with rotation at its heart rather than a dress rehearsal for Sunday.
The changes kept coming. After half-time, Casper Tengstedt and Jivayno Zinhagel replaced Van Persie and Jordan Lotomba, injecting fresh legs but not an immediate change in the scoreline. Westerlo struck again after the restart to turn the game around, and Feyenoord suddenly found themselves chasing.
An hour in, Luka Ivanusec entered on the right wing for Gonçalo Borges, offering more attacking thrust from wide areas. Feyenoord pushed, but the final pass and finish continued to desert them.
Late on, the pressure almost paid off. Tengstedt carved out two promising chances to level the match and rescue a draw, yet on both occasions the finish went missing. With those opportunities squandered, the Dutch side walked off with a narrow defeat and a reminder that sharpness is still a work in progress.
Now the friendly is done, the focus hardens again on the Vriendenloterij Eredivisie. After dropping costly points in the 2-2 draw with Go Ahead Eagles, Feyenoord travel to promoted SC Cambuur on Sunday. Their hosts have yet to collect a single point after two rounds – exactly the kind of match a title contender cannot afford to let slip.
