PSV did what it had to do Saturday night at Philips Stadium. The team won 2-0 from RKC Waalwijk, thanks to goals by Eran Zahavi and Pablo Rosario. This keeps PSV at the top of the Eredivisie.
Intervention
By necessity, head coach Roger Schmidt had to reshuffle his squad once again. Without the sick Philipp Max and the not entirely fresh Donyell Malen and Ibrahim Sangaré - both on the bench - PSV did not have an easy start against RKC Waalwijk. After about 17 minutes, the team created the first chance. A corner kick from the left found the head of Eran Zahavi, who nodded but missed just a bit of direction to help PSV take the lead.
Injury Madueke, Zahavi strikes
Even before the team could create another opportunity, Schmidt once again had to adjust his team. After a missed ball, Noni Madueke grabbed his hamstring and the Brit soon made it clear that he had to be replaced. With substitute Malen, PSV sought the dressing room with a lead. After missed chances from him and his attacking partner Zahavi, it was finally the Israeli who opened the scoring. On the stroke of half-time he shot a free kick really brilliantly behind the hopeless Lamprou.
Some fortune
The lead was somewhat fortunate. Yvon Mvogo, Jordan Teze and the post acted as lifesavers for PSV before the 1-0, which also had to leave the first big chance to the visitors after halftime. At the other end, Zahavi and Denzel Dumfries were dangerous. However, they too failed to find a goal. Then the game dragged on without anything really happening. After some substitutions the game revived a bit and a quarter of an hour before time PSV struck again.
Rosario treacherous
Pablo Rosario was the terminus of a good and smoothly running PSV attack, which after many drives came at the feet of the vice-captain via Ryan Thomas. Rosario did not think twice and passed Lamprou with a simple foot movement. That settled the score for RKC, which had already lost 4-1 to PSV earlier this season. Schmidt's team has now collected 40 points after 18 games. The next match against FC Emmen awaits Tuesday.
