O15 fighting to point
PSV O15 earned their second victory in the fall competition last week by winning 2-4 in and against Utrecht. This weekend's opponent Feyenoord lost twice so far and gained confidence last weekend by beating Excelsior 9-0. Earlier this season, Eindhoven went down with a 3-1 defeat in Rotterdam. Despite playing against a numerically disadvantaged crowd for part of the match (the Feyenoord goalkeeper was red-shirted), they were unable to make up a 2-0 deficit. But now: new chances!
PSV had the first chance of the game when captain Jason van Duiven tested the Feyenoord goalkeeper in the 5th minute with a flaming shot. Two minutes later the goal was scored at the other end when the speedy Feyenoord striker netted from inside the post to make it 0-1. PSV did not give up and quickly came alongside again. Goalkeeper Tijn Smolenaars played a clever cross pass to the deep left back Renzo Tytens, after which Renzo crossed the ball hard and wide for Elvic Jager to head in at the far post: 1-1. The game went back and forth at a fast pace and both teams had opportunities, with Isaac Babadi almost getting through on one occasion and a Feyenoord header going over. Halfway through the first half, PSV should have taken the lead when a two-on-one situation arose after good dueling work by Jason. Isaac went for his own success but saw his shot hit the post. Moments later, PSV swooned when Feyenoord also hit the aluminum from close range. With fifteen minutes to play, PSV looked to take the lead when Tim van den Heuvel delivered a good cross but the free Jason could not give enough power and direction to his header to pass the goalkeeper. It was just a warning, as a few minutes later PSV took the lead after all. Isaac picked up the ball midway through the Feyenoord half and headed into the sixteen, then crossed and Elvic tapped the ball in again at the far post: 2-1. Unfortunately it could not hold the lead until halftime. Just before the whistle the Feyenoord striker was able to score the 2-2 from close range.
After halftime, the level was slightly lower and the match messier. Not much happened in front of both goals and for PSV this was mainly due to sloppy passing in the final phase. Out of nowhere, the guests took the lead again in the 53rd minute. This time it was not the Feyenoord striker, but a PSV defender who, in his eagerness to clear the ball, left his own goalkeeper without a chance. PSV had to get back in pursuit so and became threatening in the 78th minute when Jason extended a long kick from goalkeeper Tijn towards substitute Khaled Razak, but the Rotterdam goalie was attentive and got out of his goal quickly. A minute later, Jason was able to head a cross from Reda El Meliani onto goal, but unfortunately, again it didn't hit the target. Just before time, PSV finally got their reward. After good preparatory work by Khaled, Julian Kwaaitaal was able to hit the ball hard and high into the Rotterdam goal: 3-3.
That was all that remained so that both teams could add a point to their total. For PSV, it might have been a little more. On the other hand, it twice worked away a deficit and only very late got to 3-3. And had to be satisfied that it took another point. Next week comes the away game against frontrunner Ajax.
Setup:
Tijn Smolenaars; Bram Rovers, Brian van den Boogaard (40/Reda El Meliana), Joëll Gill'ard, Renzo Tytens; Tijn Vergeldt (61/Arthur Piedfort), Tim van den Heuvel, Isaac Babadi; Elvic Jager (58/Khaled Razak), Jason van Duiven (c), Julian Kwaaitaal.
Yellow card: Brian van den Boogaard, Jason van Duiven, Tim van den Heuvel