After rivals NEC and Ajax both dropped points on Saturday, Feyenoord could've put them on checkmate in the battle for second, with a win earning them leads of 5 and 6 points with two rounds remaining. Robin van Persie used the same 11 names from the 3-1 win over FC Groningen, thus playing with Tobias van den Elshout on the left wing, Gernot Trauner in the heart of the defence, and a midfield pairing of Oussama Targhalline and Thijs Kraaijeveld.
Eredivisie top scorer Ayase Ueda got his first chance 12 minutes into the game, but missed the target by a wide margin as he fired the ball far over Branderhorst's goal.
Fortuna fans were ready to celebrate their team taking the lead after 17 minutes when Kaj Sierhuis and Lance Duijvestijn escaped from Feyenoord's defense, but Duijvestijn could only hit the post.
Feyenoord showed up in the opening 25 minutes and got close to scoring twice more, but Luciante Valente's shot at a 'keeperless goal was blocked, and Targhalline's follow-up sailed over the goal, leaving Feyenoord empty-handed after a strong opening phase.
Former Ajax striker Kaj Sierhuis did his former employers a massive favour six minutes into the second half, beating Trauner and Watanabe in the air to head Fortuna in front.
With time running out for a poor Feyenoord side, Ueda got a second big chance at scoring, but put too much behind it and fired the ball over Branderhorst's bar again with 15 minutes to go.
Feyenoord were handed a lifeline with 10 minutes of regular playing time to go - Fortuna Sittard substitute striker Paul Gladon was given a direct red card after planting his studs on Matthijs Branderhorst, reducing the hosts to ten men in the dying stages.
It wasn't the usual Japanese Feyenoord star on the scoreboard in the 84th minute - Ayase Ueda's header was saved by Branderhorst, but centre-half Tsuyoshi Watanabe reacted attentively to the rebound at the back post, giving Feyenoord at least 5 more minutes to salvage a point.
The dramatic comeback was completed in the 90th minute when Givairo Read's effort from distance was heavily deflected and sailed right over Branderhorst's head.
Feyenoord's late win in Sittard all but seals their spot in next season's UEFA Champions League, with NEC and Ajax now trailing 5 and 6 points as the Eredivisie heads into the final two rounds.
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