Feyenoord secured a dominant 4-0 win over PEC Zwolle on Friday, putting in a commanding performance at De Kuip, especially in the opening 25 minutes where they netted three goals.
This victory narrows the gap between Feyenoord and second-placed PSV Eindhoven to just five points.
PSV had beaten FC Twente 1-3 on Thursday, and with only four rounds of matches remaining, the upcoming showdown between Feyenoord and PSV on May 11 in De Kuip promises to be crucial.
The win also played a vital role in Feyenoord’s battle for third place with FC Utrecht.
Utrecht thrashed RKC Waalwijk 0-4 earlier on Friday, and they now sit level on points with Feyenoord, although they’ve played one game more. Robin van Persie’s side will be keen to capitalize on that advantage in the remaining fixtures.
For PEC Zwolle, the defeat prolongs their worries about avoiding relegation.
Coach Johnny Jansen’s team remains seven points clear of Willem II but has played one extra match, leaving their top-flight status still uncertain.
Ahead of the match, much of the buzz surrounded 23-year-old attacking midfielder Sem Steijn. Multiple outlets reported that Feyenoord and FC Twente had reached an agreement over his transfer, although Van Persie chose not to confirm the news.
Regardless, Feyenoord showed they can still score freely without the Eredivisie’s top scorer.
PEC nearly took an early lead when Eliano Reijnders struck the crossbar just two minutes in, with Feyenoord keeper Timon Wellenreuther caught flat-footed. But in the 14th minute, Ayase Ueda opened the scoring with a delightful chip after a clever pass from Jakub Moder.
Feyenoord doubled their lead ten minutes later following a mistake from PEC keeper Jasper Schendelaar, who delayed a clearance and struck the ball against Antoni Milambo, resulting in a bizarre goal.
Defensive errors continued to plague PEC, and soon it was 3-0 after Igor Paixão finished neatly from a well-worked move involving Moder and Milambo.
With fans chanting for ten goals, Feyenoord eased off slightly. PEC had a couple of chances in the second half, but Younes Namli and Jamiro Monteiro failed to capitalize.
Eventually, Paixão grabbed his second goal of the night, his 14th of the season, securing a resounding win for the hosts.
Van Persie used the comfortable lead to hand Djomar Giersthove his debut and gave further minutes to Aymen Sliti and Stephano Carrillo. Carrillo nearly made it five, but his effort struck the bar late on.
