He is completely back. The wait was long, but the impact was immediate. Hwang In-beom (30, Feyenoord) turned the game's momentum with two assists, and Feyenoord escaped a long, frustrating winless tunnel.
Feyenoord defeated Heracles Almelo 4-2 in the 20th round of the 2025-2026 Eredivisie at Stadion Feyenoord in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on the 26th (Korea time).
The victory immediately reversed a mood that had sunk after four winless matches (two draws, two losses). With it, Feyenoord recorded 39 points (12 wins, 3 draws, 5 losses) to reclaim second place and widened the gap with third-place Ajax to two points again. The gap with leader PSV Eindhoven is 14 points.
The center of attention that day was undoubtedly Hwang In-beom. He started as the central midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation and played the full match. Having lost rhythm throughout the season while repeatedly returning from and rehabilitating calf and thigh injuries, he is quickly regaining match sharpness with four consecutive starts including cup matches. It was a game that signaled a "return to normal trajectory" in both movement and decision-making.
The moment that broke the balance came from the tip of Hwang In-beom's boot. Feyenoord, who had gone ahead with Leo Sauer's header in the 23rd minute of the first half, conceded an equalizer from a penalty in the 29th minute. At a point when the flow could have been shaken, Hwang In-beom emerged as the solver. In the 35th minute of the first half, he penetrated into the right side of the penalty area, drew defenders toward him, then delivered an accurate cutback, and Jordan Bos finished with a left-footed non-stop shot. It was worth more than a simple assist. It was a moment where tactical choice and timing fit perfectly.
His influence continued into the second half. In the 38th minute of the second half with the score 2-1, Hwang In-beom's long pass from near the halfway line toward the front directly bore fruit. Anis Haji Musa calmly struck the net and effectively decided the outcome. Then in the 40th minute of the second half, Cas Tengstedt's additional goal came, and the match tilted completely in Feyenoord's favor.
The numbers prove his dominance. Three key passes, three shots, one interception, four recoveries. He showed stable performances in both ground and aerial duels. According to WhoScored.com, he received a rating of 8.6, the second-highest on the team. His season record is 16 official matches, 1 goal and 5 assists. He has clearly risen recently with 1 goal and 2 assists in the last two matches.
With the March international break approaching, the meaning is even greater. He is nearly ready to wipe away the disappointment of missing national team duties due to injury. It was a night when Feyenoord's rebound and the national team's expectations were revived at the same time. Hwang In-beom has returned to the center of the team.
[OSEN]