The report
The beginning of the match was for the home club. Then PSV got better into the match and at halftime PSV deservedly led 3-2. In the second half, PSV never got into trouble again and eventually managed to win the match 5-2.
PSV was off the mark in the beginning of the match. After just one minute it was already looking at a 1-0 deficit. PSV played sloppy in the beginning of the match and made many mistakes. As a result, the home club caused PSV some problems, but De Graafschap was unable to punish PSV's sloppiness. After fifteen minutes in the first half, PSV got better in the match. De Graafschap was forced back and that resulted in the equalizer in the 18th minute. A cross from Iggy Houben was headed at the goal by Jesper Uneken. The header could only just be tapped in by the home team's goalie and the ball came back into the field via the crossbar. Jaivy Lourens reacted alertly and headed in the equalizer, 1-1. PSV persevered after that and it had several opportunities to score. In the 24th minute, Sven Simons was close to a goal. A nice free kick by Sven from over 20 meters could only just be tapped out of the crossbar by the De Graafschap goalkeeper. The subsequent corner was headed in by Jesper Uneken, 1-2. PSV kept the advantage, but in the 30th minute the home team equalized after a free kick was headed into the goal, 2-2. De Graafschap could not enjoy this equalizer for long, as PSV took the lead again a few minutes later. A shot from Iggy Houben was turned away by the home team's goalkeeper, but again Jaivy Lourens reacted alertly and tapped in the 2-3. Just before half time PSV could have decided the game definitively, but the post prevented a goal.
From the beginning of the second half, PSV controlled the match. PSV gave De Graafschap no room to become dangerous. However, it took until the 57th minute until PSV put the game away for good. Chahid el Allachi opened the attack with a nice pass to Sven Simons. Chahid ran on to the goal and Sven Simons played the ball into the run of Chahid. It was then quite easy for Chahid to tap in the 2-4. The game was over and PSV had several more chances to extend the score. The ball went just wide or the De Graafschap goalie managed to turn it away. Only in injury time PSV managed to score again. Jesper Uneken put Sven Simons free in front of the goalie with a nice pass. With a shot into the far corner Sven put the final score of 2-5 on the scoreboard.
Setup: Niek Schiks, Bram Rovers, Luc Netten, Matteo Dams (54' Lars Putters), Julian Kuijpers, Livano Comenencia, Iggy Houben, Sven Simons, Jesper Uneken, Chahid el Allachi, Jaivy Lourens (45' Milan Govaers).