Meerveld Hat-Trick Sinks Leaders as Heerenveen Fight Back From Two Down to Beat Feyenoord 5-3

Heerenveen’s Riveting Sunday

What a Sunday in Friesland. Heerenveen came from 2-0 down to stun Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord 5-3, ending the Rotterdam side’s unbeaten league season in a game that had everything.

From 0-2 to Chaos

Feyenoord looked to be cruising. Anis Hadj Moussa put them ahead on 25 minutes, and Nacho Ferri converted a penalty on 31 to make it 0-2. Maas Willemsen pulled one back for Heerenveen in first-half stoppage time.

Read on: Tricky Trees Trick Manchester City as Delap Double Sinks Maresca’s Side

A Crazy Second Half

The second half belonged to the hosts. Levi Smans levelled just after the restart, and Heerenveen took the lead through Meerveld in the 61st minute. Sem Steijn briefly dragged Feyenoord back to 3-3 in the 68th. That was the last time the visitors looked likely to hold on.

Meerveld’s Hat-trick

Ringo Meerveld finished the job with his second in the 84th minute and then completed his hat-trick in the 93rd minute, tapping in the rebound for 5-3. Feyenoord had suffered their first league defeat of the season as the final whistle went almost immediately after Meerveld’s hat-trick.

Also Read: Jesus Rings the Changes: Seven New Faces as Portugal Enter the Post-Ronaldo Era

A Tough Week For Feyenoord

It’s a sharp comedown for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side. They arrived without a win in four games, after a 1-0 defeat at Real Betis, 1-1 draws with PSV and Fortuna Sittard, and a 0-3 home loss to Inter on Tuesday. The visitors were top before this match, with 25 points from 11 games, so the lead is under pressure from Ajax, PSV and Twente after the defeat.

A Big Win for Heerenveen

For Robin Veldman’s side, it’s a statement. Heerenveen were unbeaten in their previous four matches in the league and cup, and they were seventh with 18 points from 11 games. Beating the league leaders with a comeback and a late hat-trick has pushed them to 5th in the Dutch League and should hold them in good stead for the rest of the season.

Explore: The Greatest “Big 3” Ever: The Case for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant