Fine victory PSV A1

PSV A1 recorded a fine victory over direct rival FC Groningen on Saturday afternoon.

It took about twenty minutes before the match really got going. There were some small opportunities for PSV, but no clear-cut chances. After about twenty minutes Jasper Waalkens was awarded a free kick which he shot well. The Groningen goalkeeper could not get a grip on the ball, but in the second instance he saved anyway. On behalf of the visitors, Danny Menting does something back. He escapes the defense, but is caught offside. Goalkeeper Fabian Philips, however, was at the ball in time to defuse the attack.

After half an hour Philips kicked the ball far out, Nigel Hasselbaink picked the ball up and made an action on the left. He sees the Jasper Waalkens, who came along with him, and passes the ball well. Waalkens fires the ball into the top right corner of the goal, giving PSV a 1-0 lead. Groningen then quickly tries to force an equalizer. Michael Nonni passes a ball from the left flank to Mentin, but he sees his shot blocked by Martijn Thomassen and Olivier ter Horst, who are both back from injury.

Even before halftime, PSV took a 2-0 lead. Nigel Hasselbaink tries to break free from a defender down the left wing. The striker shoots and sees his ball rolling just in front of the goal. Because the Groningen defender committed a foul, the referee awarded a free kick. Jasper Waalkens got behind the ball and shot low into the far corner. With this 2-0 lead, both teams went to rest.

Shortly after halftime, PSV put the game away. From a corner by Waalkens, Olivier ter Horst got his head to the ball and headed in the 3-0. After that there are some small chances for Yannick Rymenants, Nigel Hasselbaink and Lars Hutten. The biggest chance in the second half is for Jason Bourdouxhe. The young midfielder is set free in front of the goalkeeper through Yannick Rymenants and Lars Hutten. However, Bourdouxhe stumbles and the goalkeeper is able to pick up the ball. In the closing stages Groningen tried to score a goal, but Fabian Philips saved Menting's shot with his foot. The same Menting was allowed to leave the field with a second yellow card shortly before the end. Although PSV played with one man more, the score remained the same in the last minutes.

Thanks to this victory, PSV climbed one place at the expense of Willem II, which lost to AZ A1. PSV is now in seventh place.
Jasper Waalkens (2x)
Olivier ter Horst
Fabian Philips
2. Eelco Horsten (Josemar Makiavala)
Freek Heerkens (Dries Wuytens) 3.
Olivier ter Horst ©
Martijn Thomassen (Ridny Cairo)
Kay Velda
Nigel Hasselbaink (Iliass Ahabad)
Jason Bourdouxhe
Lars Hutten
Jasper Waalkens
Yannick Rymenants

substitutions:
12. Ridny Cairo
Abdenasser el Khayati
Iliass Ahabad
Kelle Roos
Dries Wuytens
Josemar Makiavala