In a scintillating first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference Leagu quarter-final – Feyenoord and Slavia Prague shared the spoils. For the second time this season, the two sides played out an end-to-end draw. Final score 3-3 in Rotterdam. Having already jostled in the group stages the two quarter-finalists were no strangers to each other in the competition this season. In those games in September and November, Feyenoord snatched four points and they came out strong tonight. They stormed ahead in front of their home supporters in the 10th minute already – Colombian international Luis Sinisterra produced a stunning effort after nonchalantly collecting the ball on the edge of the area from Reiss Nelson.Feyenoord hadn’t featured in a European quarter-final since winning the UEFA Cup in 2002 and after taking the lead – they ramped up the pressure. Home team came close to adding a second in the 19th minute when Orkun Kökçü’s ferocious strike from 25-yards out rattled the crossbar.Slavia Prague (who had converted 21 goals so far in the tournament) needed to rediscover their free-scoring form. They managed to level with their first effort on-target before the break – Nigerian Peter Olayinka was first to react in the area, catching a rebounded effort and sending it between the posts.After halftime, Arne Slot’s team came out all guns blazing. It immediately tested the gloves of Ondřej Kolář, as the goalkeeper excellently denied Guus Til’s snapshot attempt. The guests from Czech Republic may have felt aggrieved after the hour-mark when Tomáš Holeš appeared to be hacked down in the area – however the referee waved away multiple protests.Just moments later, they turned their fury into a goal – the 21-year-old Nigerian Yira Sor latched onto a through ball from Ivan Schranz. The young African showed immaculate composure inside the box to slot the ball past Ofir Marciano. But it didn’t take long for their joyous comeback celebrations to be muted – in the 74th minute Feyenoord immediately hit back via captain Marcos Senesi who made no mistake from point-blank range.Late into the game Slot’s team completed their own comeback – man of the match Kökçü finally found the net with a spectacular free kick attempt (truth be told Kolar reacted in a laughable manner). The Turk believed he had provided his side a precious lead before they head to Prague for the second leg next week but another dramatic twist came. Slavia netted deep into stoppage-time to spoil the party with the last kick of the game as the cunning Ivorian Ibrahim Traoré took a heel shot to secure a potentially vital draw for his team.UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUEQuarter-final, first legThursdayFeyenoord – Slavia Praha 3-3 (1-1)/Sinisterra 10, Senesi 74, Kokcu 86 – Olayinka 41, Sor 67, Traore 90+5/22.00: (4.00) Bodo (3.60) Roma (2.00)22.00: (1.48) Olympique Marseille (4.30) PAOK (8.50)22.00: (2.25) Leicester (3.50) PSV (3.35)***odds are subject to change***European time (add an hour)
