Today the duel between numbers 2 and 3 in the Eredivisie o15 league was scheduled. Opponent Sparta surprisingly lost to NEC at home last week and was therefore in 3rd place behind PSV who convincingly beat Twente at home 5-0 last week.
Given consecutive wins of 0-3; 0-4 and 5-0, a 6-0 victory should logically be recorded today. But would it really be that easy today?
No: after only two minutes, the team of brand-new grandfather Edwin de Wijs faced a 0-1 deficit after a corner was headed in. It had been a while since the Eindhoven side had conceded a goal against in the league. Namely September 24 against AFC. And now the Rotterdammers are quickly behind. Which immediately found a parallel with the first league game. There, PSV fell behind 0-1 in the first minute against another Rotterdam team (Feyenoord). The team had to chase and a minute later had already equalized. Mohamed Ihataren received the ball on the edge of the 16-yard box and took a hard shot that flew into the right corner: 1-1.
A minute later it could have been 1-2 when a Spartan suddenly found himself 1-on-1 with goalkeeper Robin Verhoeven, who cleverly prevented another goal. The game was going up and down at an incredibly high pace. PSV tried to find the enemy goal. Sparta lurked especially on the 2 fast forwards by shooting the balls quickly into the depths.
In the 7th minute PSV got a free kick about 22 meters from the Sparta goal after a foul on midfielder Kees van Lindert. Just like last week, Joost de Schutter positioned himself behind the ball and he once again lived up to his surname: fabulously he curled the ball into the top right corner! What a wonderful goal! It did not last long. Because a minute later the home team could celebrate again. Captain Ian Maatsen sent Jayden Braaf away with a nice through pass. He seemed to shoot hard past, but like a jack-in-the-box Jeremy Antonisse was able to slide the ball in at the 2nd post: 3-1 after 8 minutes! Where was this supposed to end you saw and heard everyone thinking.
Well: in a true goal fest..... because Sparta brought the tension back in the 13th minute by scoring from close range. PSV did not seem upset by this setback and strung together a number of chances. Jason Pigmans saw his header go wide twice, and a moment later Jeremy's cross in a promising position went just over him. Sparta did not remain harmless either and was also close to an equalizer in the 25th minute via the switch or counter. Good defensive play by Alberto Puts fortunately prevented a goal.
Although both teams had chances before halftime, no more were scored. PSV came very close to a two-goal margin when an effort in a tangle situation ended up exactly against one of their own players, and a little later Jayden's shot was just cracked, and Mohamed saw his ball hit the roof of the goal. Sparta was also dangerous once but again a shot was blocked by the defense.
Thus both teams went to rest with a 3-2 score in a delightful game.
After halftime the high tempo and goal celebration continued. After Jason was whistled offside in the 36th minute, Sparta equalized two minutes later. An easily given free kick on the side of the penalty area was passed high. Robin managed to punch the ball away, but in a huddle of legs the rebound ended up in the goal. Where PSV shot against their own player in a similar situation in the first half, Sparta took full advantage. PSV did not let themselves off the hook and less than a minute after the Spartan equalizer Jayden should have put the Eindhoveners up 4-3. He took advantage of a mistake in the Rotterdam defense and headed for another lead. Too hasty and wild, however, he shot the ball well over and failed to put PSV back in the lead.
As in the 1st half, the game went up and down quickly. PSV got chances through distance shots by Mohamed and Jeremy, among others. Sparta also had one shot in the first part of the second half. After 48 minutes PSV got a corner on the left. The ball was shot towards 20 meters where Kees was well clear, only a Sparta player managed to snatch the ball and via a super fast counter the ball was suddenly in the PSV goal barely 10 seconds after the PSV corner. And Sparta suddenly took a 3-4 lead.
PSV had to deal with this setback but recovered well. Chances came. But it was all just not there today. A cross from Jason was just headed away from Jeremy's head, and the offending ball was shot by Kees onto the roof of the goal. Because PSV had to play more forward, Sparta got a little more space. And that was right up the alley of the speedy Sparta forward. The left winger was put away in the 52nd minute and rounded off in a controlled manner, bringing the score to 3-5.
The home team still had about 15 minutes to play to erase the deficit. This was no longer possible. Partly due to bad luck, because it is almost impossible to describe how it is possible that PSV did not score in the closing stages. Three times a ball was worked off the goal line. First an effort by Jayden was kicked away on the line, a little later Jason seemed to score after a good move by Mathijs Tielemans, but he too saw his effort miraculously worked out of the goal mouth and finally a free kick by Mohamed Ihataren was cleared off the line.
So this crazy match ended in a 3-5 defeat. Sparta was more efficient with the chances today. The neutral spectators (and those of Sparta I assume) had seen a great match with many and beautiful goals, with good football, with commitment and fight and with a Rotterdam winner in the end. In that respect, it is a good thing for PSV that Feyenoord and Sparta are the only teams from Rotterdam playing in this division. Because only against these teams did the team lose points so far in league play.
Next week follows the away game in and against Volendam. A chance for revenge and to take the three points back to Eindhoven to stay in the race for the championship.
Robin Verhoeven; Alberto Puts (65' Heritier Deyonge), Emmanuel Manu, Joost de Schutter, Ian Maatsen (c); Mathijs Tielemans, Mohamed Ihataren, Kees van Lindert; Jeremy Antonisse, Jayden Braaf, Jason Pigmans.