Feyenoord Rotterdam : VVV Venlo

After our detour to Belgium we went back to the Netherlands. This time in the port city Rotterdam where we look at a game in the "De Kuip" n. The weather gods did not exactly mean it well with us during our stay in Rotterdam, so that our sightseeing activities were limited throughout to indoor visits. So, among other things, the Edvard Munch exhibition was visited - after all, as a soccer fan, you're not just a redneck *g*.

Beinahe would have come but not to a match visit, because the Verantworltichen of the ticket office of Rotterdam have not deposited the tickets as agreed, but sent to me. It was a pity that I was no longer in the country when I received the tickets. But thanks to my mother and the post office, the tickets finally reached me in our hotel yet and so nothing stood in the way of a match visit.

Our hotel was ideally located for a stadium journey. Three steps from the hotel, purely in the streetcar, over the Erasmus bridge and after 10 minutes ride one was on the spot. The stadium, which is actually called "Feijenoord Stadium" - in the vernacular but only "De Kuip" (The tub) is called, is the second largest stadium Hollans. Among other things, the final of the EURO 2000 was also held here.

Since this European Championship, however, not too much should have been changed at the stadium. The main stands are roofed, but the seating stands built above the running track are not. In case of bad weather, the stadium will not look good. Since it had rained the whole day it was on the wet places but also so no special pleasure.

In Rotterdam there is no chip card, but with cash you can not pay here. You have to exchange them beforehand for Jetons (or something like that). Since there was only "Amstel Light" in the stadium and we have not made good experiences with the Dutch light beer already in Amsterdam, we saved the exchange and pursued the game times without the usual stadium beer.

A week earlier Rotterdam had lost 10:0 (in words: ten to zero) against Eindhoven away. So we were somewhat surprised that the stadium was nevertheless very well attended and that the support was not directed against the team and coach. If you consider that Rotterdam currently in the table basement herumtümpelt is not a matter of course.

Already before the game there was a fireworks - the reason is still not clear to us, but possibly that is there so the custom. After a few minutes of play, the fans unfurled a large banner on which some deceased Feyenoord supporters were commemorated - after all, All Saints' Day was just around the corner and you know how to behave.

The game itself was a typical basement derby. Mistakes on both sides repeatedly led to good scoring chances, but the first half ended goalless. In the second 45 minutes, Rotterdam then made more pressure and Venlo could hardly save themselves from their own half.

So it came as it had to come and the ball landed after a header clearly behind the goal line. Players and fans cheered, but the linesman had seen it differently. A glaringly wrong decision as one could also see on the TV screens turned by the VIPs in the boxes to the audience. When then a little later even a penalty was not given, the mood was boiling and numerous objects flew onto the field and the linesman had to brave not only the rain but also the beer showers.

A little later, however, the fans were redeemed and Wijnaldum schossed in for a deserved 1-0 lead. After that, the cheese was eaten. Venlo now opened up a bit, but this opened Rotterdam again and again space for counterattacks. And two of them were successful, so that there was ultimately a 3-0 victory to cheer.