Feyenoord vs Rayo Vallecano

Feyenoord seized control from the first whistle. Luciano Valente threaded a pass through to Van Persie after ten minutes, but the young forward could not beat Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla. Four minutes later, the same combination produced another chance — Van Persie fired over from close range.

The third opportunity proved decisive. Valente lifted a looping ball to Gjivai Zechiël, who laid it on a plate for Van Persie, and the 19-year-old hammered home from inside the box to make it 1-0 in the 17th minute.

Rayo grew into the half. A dangerous moment for Thijs Kraaijeveld went unpunished, but the Spanish side struck four minutes before the interval. Jorge de Frutos played a precise through ball to Álvaro García, who rounded debutant goalkeeper Tjark Ernst and slotted into the empty net.

Van Bronckhorst made a raft of changes around the 75th minute, introducing Sem Steijn, Casper Tengstedt and Van den Elshout among others. The substitutions injected fresh energy but clear chances remained scarce. Ernst produced a sharp save from a Rayo header at the other end.

The match had been scheduled for 120 minutes — two 45-minute halves plus 30 minutes of extra time — a common pre-season arrangement. The extra period proved decisive. After Feyenoord were denied a penalty shout, Neraysho Kasanwirjo played a fine through ball to Van den Elshout, who kept his composure and slid the ball through the goalkeeper's legs for 2-1 in the 99th minute.

Van den Elshout sustained a wrist injury from a late sliding challenge but played through to the final whistle.

The pre-agreed extra half-hour. Feyenoord had dominated the opening 45 minutes but lost momentum after the break. Without the extra 30 minutes, the match would likely have ended 1-1. Van Bronckhorst's deep bench — he used 18 substitutes across the match — and the younger legs of Van den Elshout, Steijn and Tengstedt proved decisive against a heavily rotated Rayo side that made ten changes in the second half.

Shaqueel van Persie opened the scoring with a clinical finish after two earlier misses. The 19-year-old forward continues to build a strong pre-season campaign, displaying movement and composure beyond his years.

Tobias van den Elshout — the match-winner. The 19-year-old attacker, who recently agreed a contract extension in principle with Feyenoord, showed composure to nutmeg the goalkeeper on his only real chance. He also recently scored twice in a 5-0 friendly win over RKC Waalwijk behind closed doors.

Álvaro García took his goal well for Rayo and was a consistent threat on the left flank. The winger's movement caused problems for the Feyenoord defence.

Tjark Ernst made his Feyenoord debut in goal and, while beaten by García's finish, produced a solid all-round display including one key second-half save.

Futbol24.com recorded 11 total shots for Feyenoord against 8 for Rayo Vallecano, reflecting the hosts' territorial dominance, particularly in the first half. The match had no published xG data, as is common for pre-season friendlies. The yellow card count — three in total (Rayo's 27th-minute booking, a 45+1' caution, and Feyenoord's 57th-minute card) — suggests a competitive but not dirty encounter, befitting a pre-season friendly against a higher-quality opponent.

The pattern of play was clear: Feyenoord dictated the first 45 minutes, took their foot off the pedal after the break, and reasserted control in extra time once Van Bronckhorst's superior squad depth came into play.

Feyenoord remain unbeaten in pre-season after four friendlies. The win over last season's UEFA Conference League finalists represents the most significant test so far. Van Bronckhorst's side next face Atalanta in the De Kuip Cup next week — their final pre-season fixture before the Eredivisie campaign begins away to Sparta Rotterdam on 9 August 2026.

Rayo Vallecano, who reached the Conference League final in the 2025/26 season, were playing their second pre-season friendly. They will continue preparations for the 2026/27 La Liga season.

Feyenoord were without several key players: World Cup participants Anis Hadj Moussa, Ayase Ueda and Tsuyoshi Watanabe were absent, while Anel Ahmedhodzic (minor injury) and Luca Ivanusec (married on Saturday) also missed out. Givairo Read captained the side.

A worthwhile pre-season workout that told Van Bronckhorst more about his squad depth than his first XI. Feyenoord's young forwards — Van Persie and Van den Elshout — continue to stake their claims, while the ability to rotate 18 players and still find a winner against a La Liga side is a positive sign ahead of the Eredivisie opener. Rayo will sharpen up as their fitness builds.