Feyenoord have no answer to Nancy revival

Renewed confidence
Without a win in five Ligue 1 outings, the hosts looked a team low on confidence at the Stade Marcel Picot as they laboured to get to half-time on level terms. Yet having been second best for the opening 45 minutes, they scored soon after the restart through Monsef Zerka, before Julien Feret quickly doubled the advantage. With confidence now coursing through the ranks, they even added a third six minutes from time when Feret played in Helder to put the seal on a disappointing night for Feyenoord.

Van Bronckhorst threat
Nancy celebrations had appeared unlikely as they spent much of the first half on the back foot, with a starting XI showing seven changes from the side beaten 2-0 by Le Mans UC 72 on Sunday struggling to gel. Feyenoord's Diego Biseswar, Leroy Fer and Tim de Cler all fired wide although Giovanni van Bronckhorst was more accurate, twice testing Nancy goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano. Nancy had a solitary Feret free-kick to show for their efforts, the midfielder blasting over, yet he found his range two minutes after the interval, feeding Zerka to make it 1-0 from ten metres.

Mols denied
Zerka repaid the compliment soon after, teeing up Feret to stroke the ball home and leave the hitherto dominant Feyenoord in shock. The Dutch team quickly regained their composure and, but for the crossbar, Michael Mols would have reduced the arrears with a shot from the edge of the box. It summed up the visitors' night, and it got worse when Brazilian right-back Helder registered his first goal for Nancy from close range.