Conference League: Cyriel Dessers Hits Brace As Feyenoord Stun Olayinka's Slavia Prague

Conference League: Cyriel Dessers Hits Brace As Feyenoord Stun Olayinka's Slavia Prague

By Oluwayemi Omolagba

Cyriel Dessers was the man of the night at the Sinobo Stadium in Prague-Vršovice, Czech Republic as Feyenoord beat host Slavia Prague 3-1 to book a place in the semifinals of the maiden edition of the UEFA Europa Conference League, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

Following a 3-3 played in the first leg last week in Rotterdam Netherlands, Both teams have great chance of progressing to the semifinal and with the full backing of the crowds at the Sinobo Stadium, Slavia Prague looks the favourite on the night but Nigeria striker (Desser) had other ideas as he put the visitors (Feyenoord) in the lead as early as the 2nd minute of the game.

The host responded with an equaliser in the 14th minute as the game became opened once again.

With the first half ending 1-1, Cyriel Dessers once again silenced home fans as he gave Feyenoord the lead for the second time on the evening in the 59th minutes but the host kept pushing for the equaliser.

Luis Sinisterra then ensured there was no way back into the contest for Slavia Prague when he scored Feyenoord's 3rd of the night in the 78th minute to leave the final scores at 3-1 in favour of the visitors on the evening and 6-4 for them on aggregate.

They become the first Dutch team to reach the semifinal of the Conference League with the victory and will now face Olympique Marseille in the last four.

Olympique Marseille meanwhile did the needful against PAOK in Greece to become the first French side to book a reach the semifinal stage of the Conference League.

Having won the first 2-1 at home in France, Marseille needed to avoid a defeat in Greece to progress but they got a 1-0 win thanks Dimitri Payet whose stunner from the first leg is still fresh in people's mind.

Elsewhere, Kelechi Iheanacho's Leicester City reached the semifinal of the Conference League as the first ever English side to do so after beating PSV Eindhoven 2-1 on aggregate. 

With the first leg ended goalless in England, the second leg in Netherlands was all to play for and thanks James Maddison (77') and Ricardo Pereira (88') as they ensured Leicester come from a first half 1-0 defeat (Eran Zahavi 27') to win 2-1.

And finally, Jose Mourinho will have the chance to win a trophy again since he last did with Manchester United but will have to first navigate his way past Leicester City in the semifinal of the Conference League.

After falling 2-1 to Bodoe/Glimt in the first leg, the Romans put 4 past their opponent in the second leg in Rome.

Nicolò Zaniolo's hat-trick (23', 29', 49') and one from Tammy Abraham (5') was all Roma needed to become the first Italian side in the semifinal of the Conference League.

With the stage set, Leicester City will host the first leg between them and Roma first in England before returning to Italy for the second leg.

And in second semifinal, it'll be Feyenoord's turn to first welcome Marseille to Netherlands before paying before going to France for the second leg.

The first legs will be played on the 28th of April with the reverse leg slated for a week later, May 5th.