MILAN--Feyenoord knocked AC Milan out of the Champions League as they recovered to draw 1-1 with a goal by Julian Carranza on Tuesday for a 2-1 aggregate playoff win to earn a place in the Champions League last 16, with the hosts having Theo Hernandez sent off.
Milan took less than a minute to level the tie on aggregate when Santiago Gimenez scored against his former club but the red card for Hernandez changed the game and Carranza netted a superb header in the 73rd to take the Dutch side through.
Feyenoord will meet either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the last 16, with their opponents to be decided in Friday's draw.
Milan went on the attack from the start. Gimenez won a corner in the opening seconds, gesturing to the home fans behind the goal to make more noise, and shortly afterwards the Mexican gave them plenty of reason to do just that.
From a short corner move, Christian Pulisic floated a pass towards the far post where Malick Thiaw placed a header back across goal and Gimenez nodded the ball over the line. Gimenez, who only joined Milan from Feyenoord two weeks ago, looked almost apologetic but the San Siro crowd more than made up for his lack of celebration.
Milan looked the more likely to take the overall lead before the break, with Gimenez playing in Joao Felix who put his effort over the bar. Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther parried away another Felix shot and Hernandez could only hit the rebound into the side netting, while the visitors failed to get a shot on target in the opening half.
Kyle Walker tried his luck from just inside the area after the break but Wellenreuther got down to save as Milan continued to press for a second goal.
Feyenoord's chances received a massive boost six minutes into the second half, however, when Hernandez picked up a second booking for simulation, but the visitors continued to struggle to create any real opportunities. Antoni Milambo sent a shot and then a header over the bar, but Feyenoord finally found the net with their first effort on target. Hugo Bueno floated a delightful ball to the far post from outside the area and substitute Carranza rose unchallenged to power his header over keeper Mike Maignan.
"I'm sick, still, but happy," Carranza, who was on the bench through illness, told Ziggo Sport. "I didn't feel great, it was something unforgettable to come in and score."
Milan pushed for a goal to take the tie to extra time, with Thiaw getting a powerful header on target but the keeper was well positioned to smother the ball and Feyenoord held on. "The way we were controlling the game in the first half and at the beginning of the second there was only one team on the pitch," Milan defender Walker told Sky. "Then the referee made his decision (to send off Hernandez) and the game changed."
Feyenoord defender Givairo Reed was shown a red card after the final whistle as tempers flared at the San Siro, which was the scene of the biggest ever result in the club's history. In 1970, Feyenoord won the European Cup by beating Celtic after extra time at the stadium, having downed Milan 2-1 on aggregate in the second round and perhaps they will start to believe in a little Dutch destiny after their latest upset.
Feyenoord interim boss Pascal Bosschaart was full of praise for his team's character, after recent upheaval at the club and a string of injuries. The Dutch club's preparations for last week's first leg were far from ideal when Feyenoord sacked Brian Priske two days before the playoff game, but Bosschaart led them to a 1-0 win at home and they finished off the job at the San Siro.
"This says about the team that they have character. I think that's what I'm most proud of," Bosschaart told Ziggo Sport. "You have to remember that they come from a very difficult phase, have received a lot of criticism, a change of coach, and then an unknown person comes in front of the group who occasionally throws in some empty slogans.
"That is a very difficult phase for them but I do think we are very clear, very transparent and very honest and this group responds very well to it, so I am proud of it."
"If you concede a goal within minutes, the plan you wanted to execute will be different again," Bosschaart said. "Everyone will now say that we took the upper hand after the red card but I also thought in the first half that we played quite well. Only after the red card it might be a little easier."
Feyenoord could return to the San Siro in the next round, where they will face either Inter Milan or Arsenal, but for now Bosschaart needs to let their achievement sink in. "It's beautiful. We are one round further, so very special," Bosschaart said. "It's fantastic but I have to say, it hasn't really landed with me yet."
