Two quick early goals laid the foundation for Feyenoord to boost its Champions League hopes with a comfortable 4-2 home win over Sparta Prague on Wednesday.

Gernot Trauner and Igor Paixão scored within 60 seconds as Feyenoord made a dream start to their home game at De Kuip. Anis Hadj Moussa and Santiago Giménez contributed goals to keep the Dutch club on course for a place in the knockout rounds.

Feyenoord had 10 points while Sparta, comforted by Albion Rrahmani and a Thomas Beelen own goal, suffered a fourth defeat in six group games and will find it difficult to avoid elimination.

It took the Dutch hosts just nine minutes to get on the scoresheet from a corner when Trauner’s downward header touched Sparta defender Markus Solbakken and the wrong-footed goalkeeper Peter Vindahl.

The second came when Kaan Kairinen lost possession due to Feyenoord’s pressing and Paixao ran from the halfway line before deflecting the ball past Vindahl.

Hadj Moussa scored a stunning goal in the 30th minute when he received the ball wide out on the right side of the attack, cut inside and fired a left-footed shot that flew past the goalkeeper.

Feyenoord failed to clear a long throw directed at Rrahmani at the back post in the 43rd minute to make it 3-1, but Gimenez restored the comfortable lead when he took advantage of a defensive error and sent the ball out a short distance over the goal.

Sparta’s second goal came in the 79th minute after a cross that a slipping Beelen directed into his own goal.

The game marked a reunion for Feyenoord coach Brian Priske with the team with whom he won the double in the Czech Republic last season. When he moved to the Netherlands, his assistant Lars Friis took over management at Sparta.