The loss was completely due to Feyenoord coach Robin van Persie. Because he was in the Euroborg with his head with his head at FC Groningen-Feyenoord on Sunday. Giving and protecting basic players from the Portuguese butcher’s knives was more important than winning in Braga. Hence the many switches. In the 79one Minute Feyenoord and Van Persie were presented with the bill by a goal from Fran Navarro.
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Van Persie announced in the run -up to that a victory in Braga would be welcome, but that seven more games would follow after the European opening duel.
Five basic forces on the bank
That line of thought meant that after leaving Givairo Read and Ayase Ueda in Rotterdam, the Feyenoord trainer posted no fewer than five basic forces on the bank in the quarry in the north of Portugal.
It was noticeable that Anel Ahmedhodzic, Sem Steijn, Quinten Timber and Timon Wellenreuther were in the field. Not that Braga took the initiative, let alone dominant. No, with Feyenoord 2, logically all automatisms were missing and much went wrong.
Timon Wellenreuther picks the ball away before Sikou Niakate (r) can be added. © AFP
Gaoussou Diarra
Gaoussou Diarra was the most dangerous attacker from the left, but his two free shooting attempts did not look like a ball next to and far after a smart chopping ball by Gijs Smal. The Malinese was the attack with the Portuguese Gonçalo Borges and the Danish striker Casper Tengstedt. Both baked very little of it.
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Borges was allowed to charge itself. He just kept walking with the ball and only in hopeless position he searched for fellow players. His urge to prove was bothering Borges. Van Persie became happy with Tengstedt’s training work, but he didn’t bake it. His replacement, the debuting Cyle Larin, showed more, but the Canadian could not make the difference either. In any case, all attackers in Braga know that they have not seized their chance and can keep the reserve bench warm again in the Euroborg on Sunday afternoon.
Feyenoord 2 came in the 18one and 20one Minute very well away. Not because Braga messed up two chances. The only chance for the Portuguese in the first half was exactly after 45 minutes of play when Ricardo Horta shot past. In the 18one Minute Oussama Targhalline escaped a penalty when he pulled a Portuguese to the ground at a corner. The VAR came on the line, but before referee Nikalo Dabanovic could walk to the screen, the VAR made a line in advance through a penalty kick from Braga.
Quinten Timber escapes yellow
Two minutes later, Quinten Timber escaped a red card when he made a kicking movement back and hit a Braga player. Dabanovic pretended to be bleeding.
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Robin van Persie continues to change
Van Persie continued changing in the second half. Luciano Valente and Tsuyoshi Watanabe came for Timber and the debuting Malcolm Jeng, who was unobtrusively present as a central defender. Anis Hadj Moussa finally came off the bank. The man in shape could not turn the tide for Feyenoord 2 either. Thus Van Persie’s team hit a mud figure in Braga and this can only be made up for with a victory from Feyenoord 1 Sunday at FC Groningen.