Sour defeat in Arnhem

Still two games to play before the winter break for the O15. Next week Sparta comes to visit and this weekend the Eindhoven side traveled to Papendal to face Vitesse. A clear 4-0 win in Eindhoven secured the points. The team did lose Isaac Babadi who was out with a serious injury.

Soon the home team took the lead when they were allowed to take a free kick on the side in the 8th minute. This was taken inbounds after which a long Vitesse player deposited the ball in the corner. After Elvic Jager then almost benefited from a wrong kick from the Vitesse goalkeeper, he was at the base of the equalizer after 15 minutes of play. Tijn Vergeldt played Elvic in deep after which he reached the back line and crossed hard where Emir Bars slid the ball in: 1-1. Three minutes after that the combination was the other way around but unfortunately Elvic bumped into the keeper's outstretched leg. PSV dictated the game in that phase, but ran into another goal in the 19th minute when an Arnhem player was given too much freedom and was able to score. And that while a minute earlier Tim van den Heuvel had almost put PSV ahead with a shot. In the final minute, the home team even made it 3-1 when the defense again gave Vitesse too much space.

After halftime, PSV quickly brought the tension back. It was Elvic who managed to find the net in the 42nd minute after an individual action and reduced the margin to one. PSV started to believe in it again and came alongside again after an hour of play. A free kick by Emir was turned in and Renzo Tytens touched the ball and made it 3-3 on the scoreboard. You would think that the game was over, but Vitesse thought otherwise. Three minutes later the home team took the lead again. First an effort hit the bar, but the ball was crossed again and tapped in from close range: 4-3. PSV had to chase again. But lacked the sharpness and finesse to get a draw. The Vitesse goalkeeper also turned away shots by Elvic and Julian Kwaaitaal in the closing stages, and he cleverly cleared a header by Joëll Gill'ard out of the corner.

PSV thus lost its penultimate game of 2019 4-3. And may try to end the calendar year with a win next week in the home game against Sparta.

Setup:
Tijn Smolenaars; Reda El Meliani (60/ Eus Waaijers), Brian van den Boogaard (40/ Arthur Piedfort), Joëll Gill'ard, Renzo Tytens; Tijn Vergeldt, Tim van den Heuvel (40/ Onesime Zimuangana), Enzo Geerts (55/ Raf van de Riet); Elvic Jager (c), Julian Kwaaitaal, Emir Bars.