PSV knows the perfect general for Champions League squatter against FC Emmen, partly thanks to a curious own goal Eredivisie

PSV opened the Eredivisie season on Saturday with a simple victory over FC Emmen: 4-1. Ruud van Nistelrooij’s team really didn’t suffer a cent and was able to spare Ibrahim Sangaré even 90 minutes. That is a boost for the important European match against AS Monaco.

By Chris Ottens

No, PSV certainly didn’t have to go all the way against FC Emmen in their own Philips Stadium. It wasn’t always that great what the team put on the mat against the PhD student from Drenthe, but the difference in strength was so great that it mattered little. Xavi Simons was – especially for rest – the tastemaker.

The midfielder who came over from PSG was one of the four new names in the base compared to last Tuesday’s game against AS Monaco. Érick Gutiérrez, Ki-Jana Hoever and Johan Bakayoko also got the chance, the latter also opened the score after 18 minutes. Simons intercepted the ball well, sprinted and gave the ball wide to the young Belgian: 1-0. Simons also showed a number of beautiful delights afterwards.

Xavi Simons is disappointed with a missed opportunity. © Pro Shots / Peter van Gogh

Bizarre own goal

After that goal, FC Emmen’s resistance was broken, especially after it became 2-0 in a crazy way. The ball caromed through the defenders and goalkeeper of FC Emmen and stayed on the line, after which Maikel Kieftenbeld shot the ball into his own goal via his standing leg: 2-0.

It was still 3-0 before half time, after Cody Gakpo also reported to the front. The attacker shot the ball into the short corner, then his name was chanted by the crowd for minutes. They do not like to see the Eindhoven resident go to another club: ‘Cody must stay.’


Gakpo sung to

They also sang that when Gakpo quickly made 4-0 after the break with a placed ball and then was substituted. Joey Veerman, Philipp Max and Armando Obispo were also taken off the field early. Whether it was because of that or not: the concentration ebbed away after an hour at PSV, especially at Gutiérrez. He lost the ball, after which Ole Romeny made a nice 4-1.

After all the substitutions it was already less at PSV, FC Emmen was the closest to a goal, but it remained 4-1. And so PSV confidently heads for the return match in the third preliminary round of the Champions League against AS Monaco. On Tuesday, the people of Eindhoven will play in front of an almost sold-out Philips Stadium, after it became 1-1 in the principality.

Cody Gakpo

Cody Gakpo © ANP


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