PSV crawled through the eye of the needle Sunday night, taking the three points against FC Twente thanks to substitute Ricardo Pepi. Head coach Peter Bosz noted a challenging match in which PSV was careless with ball possession, but also expressed delight at the victory at home.
"The first half was not good. We suffered a lot of sloppy ball losses, gave away bad passes and big spaces. In the second half, it was a real battle and that was the reason it went better. In the first half we didn't give that fight; we didn't get the second balls and we didn't fight many duels. That changed in the last 45 minutes. Because both clubs really went for the win, the second half was like a boxing fight without coverage," says the coach, who is complimentary about substitute Ricardo Pepi but also does not forget the important Walter Benítez. "You know that with Ricardo you bring someone who can score and often doesn't need much time to do so. And this is not the first time he has been so important for us. Also Walter Benítez kept us in the game today with his save. That one-on-one situation is really a quality of his."
The Head Coach also recognizes that today could have ended differently. "We have often decided the game well before the ninety minutes are over with our football." That was not the case now and it could have gone either way until the end, where you might have already resigned yourself to a draw." Peter Bosz When asked, found FC Twente playing excellently. "They have good players with a clear plan. We were lucky because they made it difficult for us."
Man of the Match
Ricardo Pepi is once again decisive for PSV, making the difference with his goal in the final minute. "When I went into the field, I immediately felt I was ready to help the team. It's instinct and something that comes naturally. Every time I get the ball, I know I have to be there. As a striker, you hope for balls like that. Then it's only important to hit it well and I did," says the American striker who indicates how important this victory was. "It's a very important season and this win gives me and the team a good feeling."