The Report

This week, PSV O13 hosts Sparta Rotterdam O13 twice. Today the Rotterdammers are opponents in the semi-finals of the cup and Saturday for the final league game. As usual, PSV's O13 play their home matches on regular grass and on pitch 1. No deviation from that today either and thanks to the greenery, the playing field looks perfect.

Soon after the start it is clear that Sparta does not want to give PSV space to play football. The pressure is high and prevents PSV from building from the back. PSV tries to find the midfielders quickly, but meets a lot of resistance. Sparta is clearly physically stronger and therefore has the advantage in personal duels. Yet the first big chance is for PSV. In the 2nd minute it is Ruben van Bommel who delivers a good cross. A Rotterdam foot just got between them, otherwise Jaivy Lourens could have slid the ball right in. A few minutes later, the same Lourens is too quick on the side of the pitch. The cross comes too far, but Ruben is able to put it back in. The ball comes just a little too hard for Jesper Uneken, he tries but the ball goes wide. After this a fascinating football battle ensues with the public as the big winner. Both sides have small chances and the game goes up and down. It seems that the half-time score will be 0-0. But Sparta gets a free kick, the ball lands far in the 16 meters. The ball is headed towards goal by the one Spartan who is not offside. Kjell Peersman cannot get a grip on the ball. The ball rolls towards the line. Seb Loeffen tries to get it away, but is just too late. So now Sparta can go to rest with a 0-1 lead.

At halftime it is quiet in the PSV locker room, but there is no despair. They are convinced they can make the final. So with high spirits they start the second half. PSV is now slightly more in Sparta's half, but they are not really dangerous. Sparta regularly comes out of the danger zone. They even managed to score but from an offside position. In the 45th minute coach Tim Wolf gives the signal to his team for the final offensive. Within a minute this already resulted in a result. Ruben van Bommel gets the ball on the side, comes in and shoots the ball in: 1-1. PSV stays on the offensive, this leaves the back completely open two minutes later and Sparta can score in a similar way as van Bommel did: 1-2. Now PSV has to hunt for the equalizer again. A few minutes later it is PSV again in the Sparta sixteen, at a shot on goal a Sparta player gets the ball against his hand and prevents a goal. Red and a penalty, Jesper Uneken usually knows how to deal with that. Also this time he leaves the goalkeeper defenseless. Eleven against ten, so PSV goes full pressure. Sparta still tries, but cannot get away with it. But it looks like it will be a penalty shootout. So after 60 minutes penalty's are taken.

Sparta's first four penalties go in flawlessly. But Luuk Netten, Ruben van Bommel, Sven Simons and Jesper Uneken don't fail either. So the pressure is on for the final penalty takers. Sparta has to go first. Kjell Peersman does choose the right corner this time and manages to stop the penalty. Now all eyes are on Milan Govaers. Will he shoot in the decisive penalty. Yes, the ball hit the net flawlessly. And PSV is through to the cup final. What a season for the boys of PSV O13. Champion and now a cup final and a competition for the championship of the Netherlands. As it looks now, AZ Alkmaar will be the opponent twice.