Cyriel Dessers became the UEFA Europa Conference League's overall top goalscorer with 10 goals on Thursday night as he struck twice in a 3-2 first-leg win against Marseille to help Feyenoord take the first blood in their semi-final match.
His brace: his ninth and tenth UECL goals of the season, moved him two ahead of Tammy Abraham on the list of top scorers.
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Dessers opens the scoring
The Super Eagles forward on loan from Genk, squandered a wonderful opportunity to put the hosts ahead with a close-range drive that went over the bar, while Ofir Marciano denied Bamba Dieng from Dimitri Payet's feed down the other end in an enthralling start to the contest.
However, it was Dessers who opened the scoring for Arne Slot's side, firing past Steve Mandanda after a back-heel assist from Luis Sinisterra. It was Dessers' ninth UECL goal, moving him one ahead of Tammy Abraham on the list of top scorers.
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After being picked out by Reiss Nelson, 'Les Olympiens' were left shell-shocked, conceding a second less than three minutes later through Sinisterra, whose deflected strike found its way past Mandanda.
Dieng dramatically halved the deficit for his first-ever European goal, giving this tense match a new dimension.
Feyenoord's lead was then wiped out when Marciano could only palm Matteo Guendouzi's cross across the box into Gerson's path, who smashed home an equaliser.
Dessers strikes again
In a defensive horror show from the visitors, 'De club aan de Maas' re-established their lead just 10 seconds into the second half. Dessers intercepted Duje Caleta-Car’s back-pass for his second of the game and 10th in 11 UECL outings.
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Slot's team appeared pleased to maintain their lead and sunk deeper, giving Marseille more time on the ball. But Jorge Sampaoli's team's defensive frailties nearly came back to haunt them. Their blushes were spared when Mandanda made a stunning near-post save to deny Dessers a hat-trick.
William Saliba headed wide from a Payet corner as the visitors came close to levelling the scores once more, however, that was all to the game.
All open for the second leg in Marseille
With the game ending at 3-2, it keeps the tie in a tight grip heading into the pivotal second leg at the Stade Velodrome next week.