Mike Maignan Clanger Hands Champions League Gift To Fired-Up Feyenoord

A catastrophic mistake by AC Milan's French goalkeeper Mike Maignan handed troubled Dutch side Feyenoord a precious 1-0 advantage after the first leg of the Champions League play-offs Wednesday. The surprise win was a welcome tonic for Feyenoord, who came into the match in disarray after axing manager Brian Priske less than 48 hours before the game. "These evenings are why we do this," said a jubilant Feyenoord captain Quinten Timber. "De Kuip was on it again. We were on it. On to next week," he said.

In driving Rotterdam rain, the crowd had barely settled from the raucous pre-match singalong when the hosts took the lead thanks to Maignan's inexplicable howler.

With only three minutes on the clock, Feyenoord's Brazilian winger Igor Paixao cut in from the left and fired a speculative shot along the sodden turf.

The strike should never even have troubled the French international keeper but he somehow failed to collect it cleanly and it ricocheted off his body into the top corner.

Buoyed by a feverish atmosphere inside De Kuip, the Dutch side had the better of the opening exchanges, winning most of the 50-50 balls and adapting well to the slow surface.

Seven-time European champions AC Milan in contrast were sloppy and could not match the work rate of the home side.

Paixao was causing chaos with scything runs down the left-wing and saw a curling shot glance off the bar just before the break, with Maignan well beaten.

Defensively solid and Paixao in particular dangerous in attack, the unfancied hosts were good value for their 1-0 half-time lead, showing interim boss Pascal Bosschaart plenty of heart and commitment.

'We did it again'

The second half lacked clear-cut chances until the 71st minute when the outstanding Paixao