PSV D1 achieved a hard-fought 2-2 draw in their home match against fearsome opponent Willem II D1, who had lost their last three league matches. PSV started strongly in this topper and Willem II was put with their backs against the wall from the kickoff. Rai Vloet, who played in the ten, was released nicely twice on the sixteen-meter line, but unfortunately this did not result in a goal. After ten minutes, Willem II managed to force a corner. The ball was nicely placed at the far post, where the high jumping Branco van den Boomen (a full cousin of our Clint Leemans) headed the ball towards goal, where a Willem II attacker could score the 0-1 with his head. Willem II smelled blood and from a free kick by Ali Bouhajtaoui, Branco van den Boomen seemed to head in the 0-2. Fortunately for PSV, the referee disallowed the goal. PSV D1 took heart from this windfall and a fine corner by Michael Maria allowed Endy Opoku Bernadina to shoot in the equalizer. Would this be the turning point in this match? Unfortunately, Willem II thought otherwise. Willem II's left back steamed towards PSV's back line. He managed to squeeze out a cross, after which, with some luck, the ball ended up with the only Willem II striker, who could easily tap in the 1-2. What a bummer! After the break, PSV often went on the attack, but there were no clear-cut chances. Willem II managed to create a few more dangerous free kicks and corners. Ten minutes before the end of the match PSV got a free kick on the left side of the pitch. Jeroen Meefout pumped the ball high into the Willem II penalty area, where it was headed away by a Willem II player. The ball fell into the feet of Michael Maria, who masterfully controlled the ball twice from the air and then volleyed the ball into the far corner of the Willem II goal with his left! What a magnificent goal by our ball magician. PSV tried to increase the pressure on the Willem II goal with a number of substitutions, but it was Zeus de la Paz who, thanks to a heroic save on the breakthrough Branco van den Boomen, saved PSV from defeat. This result means that PSV D1 and Willem II D1 remain equal in terms of loss points, followed by MVV D1 which has two more loss points. PSV D1 plays seven more games, MVV D1 has eight more and Willem II D1 has nine more games to go. Both PSV D1 and Willem II D1 still play MVV D1 at home, so it can still go either way in terms of the championship.
All PSV players (11) who have been invited for the selection match of the KNVB district team next Wednesday, good luck!

Report with thanks to Peter Meefout
Endy Opoku Bernadina
Michael Maria