NOS Voetbal•gisteren, 22:02
View the summary of PSV – FC Twente
PSV managed to fight its way past FC Twente with pain and difficulty. The leader from Eindhoven, who looked tired in the Philips Stadium, took the win in injury time thanks to a goal by Ricardo Pepi: 1-0.
The gap between PSV and number two Feyenoord, which narrowly won at SC Heerenveen (2-3) on Sunday afternoon, remains ten points.
Peter Bosz thought PSV were not playing well. “I could also have lived with a draw. I thought Twente was good. We could have lost this match just before the end. We had to fight until the very last moment,” the coach said afterwards.
According to Jerdy Schouten, PSV lacked scoring ability against Twente. “We don’t score enough when we have the momentum. We have to be sharp at those moments,” said the midfielder.
Minute of silence
The match started with a minute’s silence in memory of Kees Rijvers. PSV and Twente had every reason to once again honor the Brabander who died on March 4, as Rijvers was active as a trainer at both clubs for six years.
PSV immediately took the initiative and saw Luuk de Jong hit the post after preparatory work by Hirving Lozano, who had been given a starting place again after his reserve appearance for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund (2-0 loss).
The big opportunity was not a reason for PSV to immediately leave Twente gasping for breath. The people from Eindhoven played far from fresh and were not sharp in front of Twente keeper Lars Unnerstall’s goal.
Bakayoko in Lausanne
In particular, wingers Johan Bakayoko and Lozano, a pair that is slowly coming under increasing criticism, were once again unable to distinguish themselves.
Exemplary of PSV’s mediocre first half was a good chance for Sergiño Dest, with Luuk de Jong unintentionally standing in the path of the American’s shot.
FC Twente, with Myron Boadu in the starting line-up for the first time, had a number of good phases before half-time, but, like PSV, lacked the ingenuity for the enemy goal to become really very dangerous.
ANPEa shot attempt by Johan Bakayoko during PSV-FC Twente
The Tukkers immediately had a good opportunity in the second half through Michel Vlap, but the Twente native’s shot was blocked.
In the subsequent corner, Boadu headed home, but the goal was disallowed because the striker allegedly pushed goalkeeper Walter Benítez.
PSV then failed to take the lead. Jerdy Schouten had the choice of the corner on the edge of the sixteen, but shot against Unnerstall. De Jong then headed the ball wide on the rebound.
Unparalleled rescue Unnerstall
PSV’s top scorer thought he would score with his head a few minutes later, but saw Unnerstall make a fantastic save. The disbelief on De Jong’s face after that great save from the keeper spoke volumes.
Pro ShotsLars Unnerstall makes a catty save on a header from Luuk de Jong
PSV did everything they could to win in the final phase and brought in Malik Tillman and Pepi, among others. De Jong headed home after a free kick from Veerman, but was offside.
Van Bergen misses Twente’s ultimate opportunity
Mitchell van Bergen could have inflicted PSV’s first league defeat in injury time. He had a free passage to Benítez’s goal, but played the ball far in front of him, causing the goalkeeper to make a save.
That miss cost Twente dearly when PSV countered to make it 1-0 deep in injury time. After a mistake by Max Bruns, Lozano missed another opportunity, but moments later Pepi scored.
The American was of great value to PSV in the Champions League earlier this season with the winning goal against Sevilla. Pepi thus once again turned out to be PSV’s golden boy on Sunday evening in Eindhoven.