To keep pace in the league rankings, PSV O14 should have won at Sparta Rotterdam last Saturday. After a good first half by PSV, it was Sparta that dominated the second half, and thus managed to keep the three points in Rotterdam. PSV O14 will have to work hard in the remaining matches of the league to stay in this competition.

PSV started the match well, footballing at a high level. This resulted already after 5 minutes in a lead for the Eindhoven players. It was Isaï Middag who curled a free kick on the edge of the sixteen-meter area perfectly into the far corner. The Sparta goalkeeper had no chance on this ball, so far in the corner. PSV continued to play well, but no real chances arose. Gennaro van de Sluis had a one on one with the Sparta goalkeeper, but could not get the ball past him, as the goalkeeper managed to narrow his goal well. Also the attack that started from the back of the net through a good pass from Michael Bresser, who sent Yalen Meulendijks deep, and the following cross that ended up in the hands of the goalkeeper by Gino Verhulst, should have been a goal. But the footballing superiority gave a lot of confidence for the second half.

But immediately after the second half, it became apparent that Sparta was going to tap from a different keg. Sparta had made some changes, including some physically strong players. The sleeves were rolled up, and PSV no longer had time to play the beautiful and good football from the first half, also in the second half. Something different was now expected on the pitch. Passion and fight, fighting for every inch on the pitch. And in this game Sparta proved to be the superior side. From a Corner in the ^40th minute Sparta managed to score the equalizer, and a few minutes later Sparta were in luck, as Stijn Kuijsten miscued an awkwardly falling cross. This put PSV back in the hunt for the 2-2, but they got no further than the opponent's 16-meter edge.

In the remaining matches, PSV will have to go all out to continue playing in this league after the winter break. The footballing ability is certainly there, but when the sleeves have to be rolled up, it is the boys against the men, just like today. And the boys let the cheese eat off their bread too quickly. But there are still many games left in which they can put things right. And this will happen.

Next week another opportunity the away game against AZ.

Setup PSV:

Kuijsten, Meulendijks, Bresser, Mussche ( 55/Horsten), Boon;

Khadari, Hekmat, Noon:

Vullers ( 45/Bulo), vd Sluis, Verhulst (61/Willems)