Feyenoord win season curtain raiser for the first time in club history - Foto: Feyenoord win Johan Cruyff Shield after penalties

Eredivisie champions Feyenoord have secured the Johan Cruijff Shield XXII by beating KNVB Cup holders Vitesse. The match ended in a one-all draw and was decided by a penalty shootout. It’s the first time Feyenoord have won the trophy since 1999 when the Johan Cruyff Shield was introduced as the traditional opener of the Dutch football season.

The match used to be organised in the Amsterdam ArenA, but from this year, the venue is the stadium of the previous season’s Eredivisie champions, in this case Feyenoord Rotterdam.

Cheered on by their home crowd, Feyenoord took the lead after just seven minutes when Jens Toornstra fired a cross from Jean Paul Boetius past Vitesse goalkeeper Eloy Room. Feyenoord dominated the game, but failed to double their lead. As a result, Vitesse picked up confidence and were very close to leveling proceedings just before the break.



In the 55th minute, referee Danny Makkelie decided to review video footage after Feyenoord striker Nicolai Jörgensen had scored from an offside position. Makkelie disallowed the goal and pointed to the penalty spot instead. The referee awarded a spotkick to Vitesse because of a foul by Karim El Ahmadi on Vitesse striker Tim Matavz in the box, which he hadn’t noticed. Alexander Büttner converted the penalty to make it 1-1.

For the first time in Dutch football history, the Johan Cruyff Shield was to be decided by penalties. Feyenoord goalkeeper Brad Jones played a crucial role by blocking efforts from Tim Matavz and Milot Rashica. Feyenoord were perfect from the spot and thus secured the first prize of the new Dutch football season.