PSV has missed an excellent opportunity to increase the lead over Ajax. The Eindhoven team lost 1-0 to AZ at home. A goal from Vangelis Pavlidis made the difference on Saturday evening.
Knowing that Ajax had missed two points in Emmen, the top match between PSV and AZ started. The people from Eindhoven were able to take three points ahead of the team from Amsterdam. But despite the fact that Van Nistelrooij indicated before the game that the players were extra motivated, this was not reflected in the opening phase.
The game had to get going and, as is often the case, a goal had to be scored before it became a fun game. That happened after about 20 minutes. A foul pass by Joey Veerman led to Vangelis Pavlidis’ opening goal.
Lots of opportunities
The game was loose and that created a shower of chances in the second part of the first half. PSV were close to equalizing through Cody Gakpo and Erick Gutiérrez. The Mexican hit the post. On the other hand, Jens Odgaard, former RKC, and Tijani Reijnders were dangerous. The midfielder hit the bar.
After the break, PSV seemed to be level with Gakpo. The attacker headed home from a cross by substitute Anwar El Ghazi, but was offside.
bills
Just like a week earlier, Van Nistelrooij’s substitutions against Ajax were striking. Where Veerman played a mediocre game, Gutiérrez was substituted. And with a 1-0 deficit, Xavi Simons was also sidelined. A player who can create a chance with an individual action.
The murmuring in the stadium increased. Also because PSV dropped to a dubious level after the disallowed goal. It became increasingly impotent offensively.
It was not easy for the people of Eindhoven either. El Ghazi had to leave the field halfway through the second half. The substitute was injured.
Painful
The fact that PSV barely created a chance after the rejected goal was poignant. That it did not benefit from Ajax’s draw was especially painful. It remains to be seen what Feyenoord will do tomorrow to know in which position PSV will enter the winter break.
In any case, it goes into the World Cup break with a bad feeling. The upward trend seemed to have started, but after the high point last week in the Arena, a low point follows in the Philips Stadium. The competition will resume in January.