A battling PSV did good business in Group E of the UEFA Europa League. The team overcame a disastrous start and moved up to second place in the pool. It became 3-2 against PAOK FC.
No Ihatting
For the first time this season, Roger Schmidt was able to start with the same formation as in the previous match. The only downside was the absence of Mo Ihattaren. Schmidt stated prior to the game that the PSV player is so tired that it was decided to prepare him with extra training work for the games starting in December.
Disaster start
That PSV still has a lot to win, it owes it to a spectacular comeback. At the Philips Stadium, the team was soon facing a hefty deficit. In the4th minute, a tangle ball disappeared behind Yvon Mvogo and where it should have been 1-1 ten minutes later, it was 0-2. A crystal-clear goal by Donyell Malen was first wrongly canceled for offside and since there is no video arbitration yet in the group stage of the Europa League to correct such a miss, Tzolis was then able to celebrate doubling the lead.
Connecting goal
Fortunately for PSV, the connecting goal followed just as quickly. Cody Gakpo was the end of a flashy attack through the heart of the PAOK defense. The Eindhoven native did not hesitate when the ball fell at his feet and shot his seventh of the season to make it 1-2. Then his teammates lacked some luck to notch the equalizer.
Resurgence
At the start of the second half, however, they were on target. Within eight minutes the team turned the tables. First it was Noni Madueke who signed for the 2-2 after a fine attack and then Malen shot PSV into the lead. For a while PSV pushed on, but towards the end of the match they had to rely more and more on the character of the team. That proved to be enough. PSV is second behind Granada FC with 6 points from 4 games. PAOK follows in third place with 5 points.
