Every week Gracenote finds out all about the matches PSV plays. This time the home match against Vitesse is on the program. A match with a lot of history.
Championship match
There won't be a PSV'er who doesn't know: PSV once became champions at home against Vitesse on an unlikely matchday. With only one game to play, PSV was behind only in goal difference to both AZ and Ajax. A 5-1 victory over Vitesse, however, was just enough. Phillip Cocu, who himself played for Vitesse, fired the fifth goal against the ropes in the 77th minute. Coincidentally, PSV also became champions against Vitesse in the 2004-2005 (3-0) and 2007-2008 (0-1) seasons.
27 in a row
PSV has managed to score at least once for 27 Eredivisie games in a row. The last time that didn't happen was against Ajax. On Feb. 2, 2020, it was 1-0 in Amsterdam.
Six away goals
PSV was also once less fortunate at home against Vitesse. On December 7, 2013, it finished 2-6. That makes Vitesse and FC Twente (also 2-6) the only two clubs that managed six away goals at the Phillips Stadium. By the way, it was the last time PSV lost to Vitesse at home. Since that December night, Vitesse has only scored once in Eindhoven.
The five of Malen
There will certainly be one player on the field Sunday who has fond memories of this poster. Last season it was 5-0 and Donyell Malen shot all five goals. This season, Malen is not without merit either, with 13 goals he is second in the top scorer rankings of the Eredivisie. Only Georgios Giakoumakis of VVV-Venlo scored more often: 22 times in total. Should Malen score twice on Sunday, he will be the first PSV player since Mateja Kežman to do so in three consecutive Eredivisie games.
Old acquaintance
Under the crossbar at Vitesse is an old acquaintance of PSV. Goalkeeper Remko Pasveer was under contract with PSV for three years (from 2014 to 2017) and played five Eredivisie matches. One of those was a 0-2 away win over Vitesse on Oct. 29, 2016. However, the goalkeeper will encounter few familiar faces on the pitch, only Rosario was with him in the first.