PSV easily beat Go Ahead Eagles. Partly due to a red card in the first half, the Eindhoven club was soon ready in Deventer and won 5-2. This allowed an early view of the important diptych with Rangers FC.
Go Ahead Eagles-away is a traditionally difficult away game for PSV. Because despite the fact that the Eindhoven team already took the lead after three minutes, it was just as quickly equal again. It seemed to be a difficult evening in De Adelaarshorst.
But a death kick by Mats Deijl helped PSV in the saddle from a sporting point of view. The Go Ahead Eagles right-back made a nasty foul on Richard Ledezma. Referee Danny Makkelie did not hesitate and gave a red card. For the attacking midfielder of PSV, the game was over. It remains to be seen how bad the injury is.
Focus on Rangers
After the red card, PSV accelerated and took a comfortable lead before half-time. Luuk de Jong, the maker of the 1-0, missed two more times from close by, but a third attempt by Xavi Simons went past the goalkeeper. A few seconds before the break, it was Armando Obispo with the 3-1 for PSV. He scored with his head from a cross by Xavi Simons. It was striking anyway that the visitors were very strong in the air.
Just like a week earlier, Ruud van NIstelrooij was able to give players a rest early in the match. He exchanged De Jong and Cody Gakpo at halftime. They could focus on the diptych with Rangers FC. The two matches are decisive in whether or not they reach the Champions League.
The second half was played at walking pace. PSV thought it was fine and the home team mainly wanted to limit the damage.
Xavi Simons
The star on the side of PSV was Simons, just like last week. The midfielder scored the 4-1 fifteen minutes before the end. It was his second goal of the evening after he also provided the assist for the 3-1. The midfielder knocks on the door at PSV early on and applies for a base place in the bigger matches.
Oliver Edvardson saved the credit for Go Ahead Eagles by making it 4-2. But it was still PSV with the final chord. Joey Veerman determined the final score with a shot at 5-2.