The relief was great at the club, which presents itself as at least the number two in the Netherlands. Elimination against the poor quality Maccabi would have been an embarrassment. Now the club has made it to the last sixteen of a European tournament for the tenth time this century, although this time at the third level. The last time PSV reached the last sixteen, it was still about the Champions League. PSV bowed in the double against Atletico Madrid in 2016 only after fifteen penalties.
Trainer Roger Schmidt again came up with a surprising line-up. He let PSV play in the so-called diamond system, with Eran Zahavi and Noni Madueke as the two forward attackers. “Then you play with a compact midfield, Mario Götze ends up in his favorite position and Madueke provides depth,” said Schmidt. The intervention was at the expense of Joey Veerman, who still took PSV by the hand in the match against Heerenveen. Erick Gutierrez was preferred. The explanation was again the tax. Veerman had played two matches in a row, Gutiérrez had been injured early in the duel with the Frisians. So he had to be fitter.
Mauro Junior competes for the ball with Brandley Kuwas.
Ⓒ REUTERS
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In that new battle order, PSV defended the 1-0 lead from the home game. It had to allow the first big chance. After an outbreak, former NAC striker Stipe Perica brought Dan Biton into position. He headed just wide of Joël Drommel’s goal. From that moment on, the people of Eindhoven dominated. It didn’t create many chances, although Noni Madueke was still close to a goal after a great action. He slipped past four of Maccabi’s defenders, but his effort was just blocked.
A goal had given PSV, which missed many opportunities in the home game, more peace of mind. Now it had to be vigilant. Immediately after the break, the Eindhoven team got away well. Yeini, with a past at Vitesse, hit the post with a long shot. The shot was cleared by Perica on the way.
Ritsu Doan (left) in battle with Enric Saborit of Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
Ⓒ REUTERS
Maccabi then had his best phase. The duel developed into a fight in which quality was not only of decisive importance. That was what the Israelis wanted and what encouraged Schmidt by choosing the heavily occupied midfield. The fans of Maccabi put an end to that strong period. After the speaker had already twice warned them not to throw objects on the field, they went wrong again. The game was stopped for five minutes by Austrian referee Harald Lechner.
Schmidt then restored the old formation. Zahavi had to give way to Carlos Vinicius and Bruma also came within the lines. With a deep striker and three men behind it, PSV looked familiar again. That didn’t last long either, because Madueke was replaced fifteen minutes before the end. Yorbe Vertessen was his replacement. That provided the opening goal. Saborit nodded the equalizer at the start of extra time. PSV then had to survive another seven minutes to avert extra time.