Meerveld treble stuns Feyenoord as Heerenveen win 5-3

Heerenveen were two goals down to Feyenoord, their manager had been booked, and Ringo Meerveld was on the bench. By the end of an eight-goal afternoon at the Abe Lenstra Stadion, Heerenveen had won 5–3. Meerveld, left out of the starting line-up, scored a second-half hat-trick.

The defeat ended Feyenoord's unbeaten start to the Eredivisie season and a run of 11 league games without a loss. It was only the second time this century that they have lost an Eredivisie match after leading by two goals. A crowd of 23,041 saw it happen.

For Heerenveen, it was a fourth consecutive league win. For Feyenoord, it was the kind of afternoon that turns a strong start into a debate.

Hadj-Moussa and Ferri put Feyenoord two goals clear

Feyenoord's 25th-minute opener came on the counter. Mika Mármol carried the ball upfield and released Nacho Ferri, who spread it right to Anis Hadj-Moussa. The winger cut inside onto his left foot and curled a shot into the top-left corner past Bernt Klaverboer. It was his seventh league goal of the season in 11 appearances.

The 31st minute brought the flashpoint of the afternoon. Givairo Read's cross struck the arm of Vasilios Zagaritis as the defender slid in. Danny Makkelie first looked to be awarding a corner, then pointed to the spot on his assistant's recommendation. VAR Clay Ruperti let the call stand.

Heerenveen were furious. They argued that Zagaritis had only been using his arm for natural support as he went to ground, and Robin Veldman's angry protests earned him a yellow card. Ferri converted the penalty for his sixth league goal of the campaign. He has now scored in four of Feyenoord's last six league games.

Heerenveen found their way back either side of the interval. In the 45th minute a corner caused a scramble in the box, and centre-back Maas Willemsen reacted first, driving a left-footed finish into the net.

Two minutes into the second half, Levi Smans took a pass from Marcus Linday and let fly. A heavy deflection off Tsuyoshi Watanabe wrong-footed Tjark Ernst, and the game was level at 2–2.

Meerveld answers Veldman with a hat-trick off the bench

Meerveld's first goal came in the 61st minute and put Heerenveen 3–2 ahead. His celebration made the subplot public. He had spent previous weeks frustrated at losing his starting place, and he turned towards Veldman and pointed a finger to his ear.

Feyenoord were not finished. In the 69th minute Ferri set up Sem Steijn, who beat Klaverboer to make it 3–3. It was Steijn's third league goal in six appearances and Ferri's second assist of the day. Feyenoord have now scored in each of their last 12 league games, 36 goals in that stretch, but this was their last word.

The closing stages belonged to Meerveld. In the 84th minute Jacob Trenskow found him, and he sent a low right-footed shot beyond Ernst to restore the lead at 4–3.

In the 90th minute Heerenveen broke once more. Ernst parried Luca Oyen's effort, and Meerveld was waiting at the edge of the six-yard box to tuck the rebound away with his left foot. He took the match ball home, signed by his teammates.

The three goals took him to five in the league this season from 12 appearances. "I say this in every interview: if we reach our level and have a good plan, we can beat anyone," Meerveld said.

Feyenoord collapse turns up the heat on van Bronckhorst

The numbers show the comeback was no accident. Heerenveen had 54% of the ball and took 18 shots to Feyenoord's nine. They tested Ernst nine times, while Feyenoord managed three shots on target.

That contrast is the strangest part of the afternoon. Feyenoord scored with all three of their efforts on target and still lost. They were ruthless with what they created, but they created far too little to hold off a side that kept coming at them.

"If we go 2-0 up, we must never lose a match like that again," Ferri said afterwards.

Feyenoord are now three league games without a win, and five across all competitions. Dutch commentators have described an escalating crisis, and supporters are turning their scrutiny on manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst and goalkeeper Tjark Ernst. Some argue the title race has been thrown open for Ajax and PSV.

Heerenveen have become a familiar problem for them. They won 3–2 away at Feyenoord in December 2025 and drew 2–2 at the Abe Lenstra in January. Feyenoord stay second on 25 points, but the aura of an unbeaten side has gone.

Heerenveen sit sixth on 21 points. Veldman now has a player in Meerveld who has made his selection decisions considerably harder.