Huysegems strike blunts Basel

Belgian striker Stein Huysegems came off the substitutes' bench to earn Feyenoord a 1-1 draw in their opening UEFA Cup Group E match against FC Basel 1893 in Switzerland.

Eduardo opener
The Dutch side were second best for much of the game and the only surprise was that it took Basel an hour before they edged ahead. Eduardo was the man to make the breakthrough, less than a minute after entering the fray, but the strike merely awoke Feyenoord from their torpor. Erwin Koeman's side equalised with 14 minutes remaining as former AZ Alkmaar forward Huysegems – a 71st-minute replacement for Sebastián Pardo – salvaged a point.

Timmer busy
A draw had looked highly unlikely for much of the match and it was another summer signing from AZ, Feyenoord goalkeeper Henk Timmer, that was the busiest man on the park until then. He was given early warning as Mladen Petrić, Scott Chipperfield and Mile Sterjovski peppered his goal with shots in the opening 12 minutes. With more accuracy Petrić could have had a hat-trick inside 20 minutes as he headed wide and then drove over the crossbar as Feyenoord struggled to contain the rampant home team.

Petrić denied
The visitors gradually settled, with Pardo and Angelos Charisteas both looking to test a largely redundant Franco Costanzo but it came as little surprise when Eduardo struck on the hour, tapping in after Timmer could only parry Petrić's shot. The goal proved the catalyst Feyenoord so desperately needed. Karim Saidi sounded a warning with a decent effort before Huysegems levelled within five minutes of coming on, collecting a Jonathan De Guzman pass and slotting in. But the last word belonged to Timmer, acrobatically keeping out Petrić's free-kick as the Dutch side held on.