Feyenoord in Second Chance for Dutch Title
Rotterdam. Feyenoord has a second chance to win its first Dutch league title in almost two decades when it hosts Heracles Almelo on Sunday (14/05) in its final game of the season, having imploded against Excelsior Rotterdam last weekend.
A win at home against mid-table Heracles Almelo will seal the 14-times champion its first title since 1999, while holding off long-time rival Ajax Amsterdam, which sits one point behind.
Feyenoord could have wrapped it up last Sunday but was caught cold by three goals in nine second-half minutes from neighboring Rotterdam, which had lost all of its previous nine derby encounters.
The shock 3-0 loss left Feyenoord players accused of choking, which coach Giovanni van Bronkhorst concurred with.
"We were not ourselves and that was from the first minute," the former Arsenal and Barcelona defender said.
"Things that worked out well the whole season for us went wrong against Excelsior.
"It has to change for Heracles Almelo. We must now turn the disappointment into a positive. We are playing at home and at home, Feyenoord are always strong."
Ajax, which qualified for the Europa League final after edging Olympique Lyonnais of France in their semifinal tie on Thursday, needs a victory at Willem II Tilburg and for Feyenoord to fail to win if it is to take the title for a record-extending 33rd time.
Reuters
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