PSV has finally won again in the Champions League. In a fierce match against Lens, they left the field after 90 minutes with a 1-0 victory. Luuk de Jong became the match winner, thanks to his header in the twelfth minute, PSV has wintering in the Champions League completely in its own hands.
The goal was clear. PSV had to win. A loss would even mean elimination from the Champions League. That realization was reflected on the field. Because the Eindhoven team only needed twelve minutes to take the lead.
Not for the first time, it was Luuk de Jong who was so important for PSV. With an insane header, which ended up behind the goalkeeper via the underside of the crossbar, he gave his team the lead.
Unfriendly
After that the match became very unfriendly. RC Lens could not win the game playing football and added a portion of aggression. But unlike the away match in France, PSV was now protected by the referee. The German Jan Seidel often had to perform. Yellow was given six times in the first half. Four times to RC Lens, twice to PSV.
There were no great opportunities in the remainder of the first half. The start of the second half was very promising for the Eindhoven team. PSV wanted to harvest and was given the necessary opportunities to do so. But a goal was not achieved, which kept it exciting in the Philips Stadium.
Waiting for privacy settings…
PSV escapes
Five minutes before the end, Hirving Lozano should have decided the match. He only went for his own chance while teammate Johan Bakayoko was in a better position. It was the story of PSV in the second half that they played their chances too poorly.
That almost cost them dearly because just before the end it was Lens, out of nowhere, who came dangerously in front of Walter Benitez’s goal. The post prevented an equalizer and Malik Tillman also cleared a ball off the line. Despite a hectic final phase, with another red card for Lens player Morgan Gullavogul, PSV stayed up and finally won again at the highest level.
Second in the group
PSV records its first win since December 8, 2015, when CSKA Moscow was defeated and reached the knockout stages of the Champions League. It is still too early for that, but with the victory over Lens, the Eindhoven club is doing excellent business in that battle. It now occupies second place in the group. A place that is enough for the next round at the end of the group stage.
That’s not the case yet, because PSV still has two games to play. It will travel to Seville at the end of November. Two weeks later, Arsenal, who has probably played out, will visit. The cards are in excellent condition. It is up to the people of Eindhoven to finish the job.