Feyenoord take two-goal interval lead
Feyenoord 2, Bor Dortmund 0 (half-time)
Two goals from Pierre Van Hooijdonk have left Feyenoord on the verge of a famous victory at half-time of their UEFA Cup final against 10-man Borussia Dortmund.
Van Hooijdonk struck with a 33rd-minute penalty and a perfectly-executed free-kick five minutes later as Dortmund reeled from the dismissal of Jurgen Kohler for a professional foul.
It was a frantic end to the opening half at De Kuip stadium. They may have been outnumbered in De Kuip stands, but how the Dortmund fans opened their lungs.
The home faithful struggled to live with the German decibels but on the pitch the Dutchmen settled well early on.
AC Milan-bound Jon Dahl Tomasson almost latched on to a long ball but Christian Worns was alert to clear.
Robin Van Persie won the early battles with Brazilian wing-back Evanilson.
He turned the Dortmund star in knots before crossing too strong and minutes later delivered a dangerous low ball that goalkeeper Jens Lehmann cleared straight to Japanese international Shinji Ono - who should have done better with his return effort.
At the other end the German side looked slick with their passes, twice carving open the Feyenoord midfield only for the final ball to be wasteful.
Their first real opportunity came after 14 minutes, Czech international Tomas Rosicky twisting and turning on the right edge of the box before firing the ball into keeper Edwin Zoetebier’s body.
The opening goal almost came four minutes later from a likely source.
Dutch international striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk lined up one of his trademark free-kicks from 25 yards out as the Rotterdammers stamped their approval in De Kuip seats.
Van Hooijdonk’s response was equally as thunderous, the ball crashing back off the post as Lehmann looked on motionless.
Dortmund rallied and carved open the Feyenoord rearguard again three minutes later but Evanilson could only slice the ball high and wide under challenge.
The game was to turn in dramatic fashion on the half-hour mark.
Kohler came into the game looking to celebrate his retirement with a UEFA Cup winners’ medal to add to the Bundesliga crown he claimed at the weekend.
One mistimed tackle later and as Tomasson lay writhing inside the box, Kohler was on his way back to the dressing room after Portuguese referee Vitor Manuel Melo Pereira deemed it a professional foul.
The fairytale Sammer had hoped for his veteran defender was turning into the scene of a horror movie.
Van Hooijdonk kept his composure and slotted in the penalty and De Kuip was a sea of red light as the fireworks shone in celebration.
The former Celtic and Nottingham Forest man was given the opportunity to try his luck again five minutes later after the Germans gave away another free-kick, a couple of yards closer than the first.
Same corner, more swerve, 2-0. Van Hooijdonk galloped away to his fanatical supporters, bare chested and on a UEFA Cup final hat-trick.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
