PSV was unable to provide a new surprise in the Champions League. The Eindhoven team missed several big opportunities against Atlético Madrid in the first half and were punished after half-time: 2-3.
Coach Peter Bosz’s team remains on 8 points after six rounds in the main tournament and needs points in the last two games in January against Newcastle United (away) and Bayern Munich (home) to reach the intermediate round. Numbers 9 to 24 go to the intermediate round. Last season, number 24 Club Brugge finished the main tournament with 11 points.
Bosz surprised against Atlético by starting with wingers Paul Wanner and Couhaib Driouech. Dennis Man disappeared to the reserve bench, just like striker Ricardo Pepi. Ivan Perisic returned to the selection after an injury, but was not yet fit enough to start.
Driouech was accurate as a substitute in the Champions League meetings with Napoli and Liverpool, both of which PSV won comfortably: 6-2 and 1-4. As a basic player, Driouech was also important this time, not as a goalscorer but as a scorer. After a good deep pass from Joey Veerman, the Moroccan international sprinted away from his guard Nahuel Molina and then kept the overview by tapping the ball wide to Guus Til, who could easily slide in: 1-0.
Shortly afterwards, Driouech could have doubled the lead, but face to face with goalkeeper Jan Oblak he mishit the ball. Atlético survived the difficult initial phase and saw Alexander Sørloth miss a free heading opportunity in the 24th minute. Driouech missed another opportunity in the 27th minute. Where he should have shot himself, he again tapped the ball wide towards Til. This time Atlético intercepted the ball.
Atlético came alongside shortly before half time thanks to Yarek Gasiorowski. The PSV defender lost the ball when it was played in by goalkeeper Matej Kovar. Sørloth enabled Julián Álvarez to score: 1-1.
In the early stages of the second half, Spain’s current number 4 struck again. Kovar saved on a long shot, after which former Feyenoord player David Hancko scored on the rebound: 1-2. The evening became even more painful for PSV when midfielder Pablo Barrios was sent into the depth in the 56th minute and put the ball on Sørloth’s head at the far post: 1-3.
Substitute Ricardo Pepi scored for PSV (2-3) in the 85th minute, after which Armando Obispo missed a huge chance for the equalizer. (AP)
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