Feyenoord ease past Standard to top Group G
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Article summary
R. Standard de Liège 0-3 Feyenoord
The Dutch side claimed first place in Group G, in the process ending a ten-game run without a win away from home in Europe.
Article top media content
Article body
• Jens Toornstra, Jean-Paul Boëtius and Elvis Manu on target
• Feyenoord finish first; fourth-placed Standard fail to progress
• Dutch side end ten-game winless run in European away games
• Les Rouches suffer second home defeat in Europe this season
• Round of 32 draw takes place in Nyon at 13.00CET on 15 December
Jens Toornstra, Jean-Paul Boëtius and Elvis Manu struck in Belgium as Feyenoord secured top spot in UEFA Europa League Group G with a 3-0 victory at R. Standard de Liège.
Fred Rutten's men began with impressive gusto and were duly rewarded with an early lead via Toornstra's 16th-minute free-kick. Boëtius doubled the deficit after the restart before substitute Manu sealed the win two minutes from time.
The visitors, who booked their place in the round of 32 last time out, had the first opening of the game. Colin Kazım Richards' effort failed to hit the target, but four minutes later set-piece specialist Toornstra did with his third goal in Europe this term – beating home custodian Eiji Kawashima at his near post.
Standard struggled to gain a foothold as De Trots van Zuid dominated the opening exchanges. Geoffrey Mujangi Bia's tame 23rd-minute strike was all the hosts managed in a below-par first-half display.
Fred Rutten's men threatened to double their advantage, but Lex Immers nodded over and Boëtius' effort was blocked, while Kawashima sprinted from his line to deny Kazım Richards three minutes before the break. The Standard goalkeeper once again thwarted the No15 with a full-stretch save in added time.
The Eredivisie side continued to assert themselves after the restart. Kawashima denied Toornstra before Feyenoord grabbed a breakaway second. Kazım Richards dispossessed Corentin Fiore and found Boëtius, who dispatched from close range.
Igor De Camargo squandered two openings within a minute as Les Rouches looked to respond, but the Belgian forward failed to hit the target with either. Feyenoord goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer saved Yuji Ono's effort shortly after.
Ivan Vukomanović's charges pressed in the closing stages in a bid to maintain their unbeaten home record in Group G. However, Manu's 89th-minute deflected strike wrapped up victory for their Dutch opponents.
