Feyenoord reached the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday after taking advantage of Theo Hernandez's damaging sending off to draw 1-1 at AC Milan and go through 2-1 on aggregate.
Julian Carranza thumped home the winning header in the 73rd minute at a frigid San Siro, sending around 5 000 away fans wild at the same ground where Feyenoord won the old European Cup in 1970.
Argentine attacker Carranza, who told reporters he was too sick with fever to start the match, cancelled out Santiago Gimenez's first-minute opener for the seven-time European champions Milan and sent the Dutch through to meet either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the next round.
The Dutchmen hold their ground against the Italians with a one-goal advantage on aggregate😤💥
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) February 18, 2025
They will meet Inter Milan or Arsenal in the next stage of the competition 👀⏩#SSUCL pic.twitter.com/Rhk7mOfKw9
The only sour note for Feyenoord was right-back Givairo Read being sent off after the final whistle as tempers flared on the touchline between both sets of players.
"The 25 minutes that I played, or 30, I was not feeling great and I think everyone could see it, because after every single sprint there was coughing," said Carranza.
"It's the most important goal I've ever scored so I'm really happy for that."
Carranza struck for Feyenoord shortly after coming on as substitute as the away side pushed to reach the next round following Hernandez's red card five minutes after halftime.
Already on a booking for a needless foul on Anis Hadj-Moussa just before halftime, Hernandez was ruled by referee Szymon Marciniak to have dived in the penalty box when under pressure from Read.
HERNANDEZ HORROR SHOW
The France full-back, who went close to putting Milan ahead in the 23rd minute when he crashed a close-range effort off the post, was dismissed, leaving Milan on the back foot after having dominated up to that point.
Hernandez's sending off and Carranza's tie-winning header ruined what looked to be Gimenez's night when he nodded home the opener against his old team after just 36 seconds.
Mexico forward Gimenez, who transferred to Milan from Feyenoord during the winter transfer window, pushed the ball home from practically on the line after Malick Thiaw did brilliantly to keep in Christian Pulisic's cross.
"Yes, today Theo was sent off but that could happen to anyone. That's football," said Gimenez to Sky.
"We all have great respect for Theo and we ask that he is supported because he always gives everything for Milan and is one of the best full-backs in the world
"Now we can't look back, we have to look forward. We're still in the (Italian) cup and have work to do in the league so all we can do is keep our heads down and work hard."
The 23-year-old Gimenez has already scored three times for Milan since signing from Feyenoord but his sixth goal in the Champions League this season was also his last.
Milan coach Sergio Conceicao was quick to deflect blame away from Hernandez.
"You can talk about whether Theo was touched or not but we need to be stronger emotionally and mentally," said Conceicao.
"This elimination is down to me, not Theo or anyone else. I'm the one who's responsible. Theo has gven a lot to Milan."
Milan are by no means assured of a spot in next year's tournament as they sit seventh in Serie A, five points off the top four with a game in hand.
And their season has been greatly compromised by the dismal way they lost the first leg in Rotterdam and Hernandez's poor discipline which led to Tuesday's painful elimination.
