PSV coach Ruud van Nistelrooij cherished the result after the first game with Rangers FC in the play-offs of the Champions League. PSV drew 2-2 in Glasgow, so that the battle is still completely open for the return next Wednesday in Eindhoven.
“This draw is well deserved. I thought it was a match with two faces,” said Van Nistelrooij. “We started well, with that chance for Luuk de Jong. Then we lost our grip. We had difficulty in putting pressure on the Rangers build-up and had difficulty getting into our game on the ball. After the break, we did better. “Then I thought we were the better team. We showed in the second half how we can play. I thought that was the best half of us this season.”
PSV fell behind in the 70th minute due to a blunder by goalkeeper Walter Benítez, who let a free kick by Tom Lawrence slip through his fingers. Van Nistelrooij gave the Argentinian a hug on the field afterwards. “What I said to him? Head up and back. We are a team for this, something like that happens. One makes a mistake, the other makes up for it by heading in the 2-2. It will be a final next week in Eindhoven, the winner continues. We know how it went against AS Monaco after the 1-1 there.”