The battle for Eindhoven
Today, during the joyous entry of the good Saint Nicholas into both the Netherlands and Belgium, the battle for "Eindhoven" was fought at the Herdgang.
PSV D3 received the neighbors of FC Eindhoven, and that it would be a battle did not need to be mentioned. In this derby, of course, it's also a bit about honor.
FC Eindhoven had a good look and "big" at the warm-up. Avoiding duels and playing smooth combination football was the message. The pitch was as slippery as a virtue, and staying upright was difficult for both teams in the beginning. Could the rain have something to do with this? Yes it did.
PSV started the game best and that resulted immediately with a shot by Robin at the goalkeeper. Jordan also kicked at goal but slipped and immediately the power was out of the shot.
Ruud was centrally positioned and scattered with deep passes, one of which came to Cody, but the goalkeeper was ready for Cody's shot.
After 8 minutes FC Eindhoven's first attack but Arne intervened above all.
Armando who intervened well a few times before there was any real danger, was again a block of granite at the back, but apparently even a block of granite can hurt itself, because in one of those defensive actions "Big A" injured himself and could not continue.
The No. 3 of FC Eindhoven also had to intervene a few times, both Cody and Jordan were able to strike out on goal, but the No. 3 defended in impressive fashion, almost comparable in speed to our TGV, Steven Bosma. On his now familiar left flank he was so fast that it was difficult to follow, let alone intervene. I heard from a good source that FC Utrecht is pulling on Steven's sleeve. But whoever sends his scouts to the Herdgang will probably find what they are looking for. The place is full of nuggets.
Baggio was also in his element on the wet pitch today, as he could not be caught wrong. Solid, and almost every duel won.
After 23 minutes, a crack was found in the good defense of FC Eindhoven, on a corner kick by Cody, Robin was the first to pop the ball in. 1-0.
FC Eindhoven could be dangerous once more on a free kick just before halftime, but the hard shot went just over Arne's goal.
1-0 halftime score.
Immediately after halftime the D3 was on a roll. Cody, like a doe through the defense and he paints the ball deliciously into the cross. What a goal !!! 2-0.
After another beautiful assist from Ruud to Raphael, "Rafke" pops at the goalkeeper. Almost 3-0.
Nice interplay Cody, Steven, cross to Robin, tapped through to Jordan and nicely nodded in. Totally 3-0 now. Match played, you think.
But the visitors don't give up that easily of course, after all it is the battle for Eindhoven. A shot by the visiting striker deflected off a PSV defender and the ball capriole into goal, Stan almost got to it, but came up just short. 3-1.
Luc, Bjorn, Lars and James also played a very solid game today, if you can play among these big names everything goes so easily, a perfect cross from Luc arrives at Robin and he just pops in dry as if it were nothing 4-1. And still FC did not give up. 5 Minutes before time the FC attacker came face to face with Stan and shot under Stan to make it 4-2.
In a "war" injuries fall, and after Armando, Stan "The Man" also has to leave the battlefield with an injury. Another gift from a tough training session last week, when he hurt himself during a practice finishing on goal.
The last chance of the match was for our top scorer Roland, but he headed a Steven cross within reach of the goalkeeper.
4-2 is the final score. After good game from both teams the victory and the honor is for the lamp club.
And what is so nice about football, after the power struggle of the little gladiators, we all go for a drink together and had another great day. Wonderful after all, football. ;-)
Report courtesy of Joël Lekens