PSV indebted to Gomes for reaching the quarter finals

PSV have reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup as they enjoyed a 6-5 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Round of 16 return leg at the Philips Stadium on Wednesday night. After 120 minutes the score was still 0-1, so the game went to a penalty shoot-out. Spurs keeper Paul Robinson saved from Danko Lazovic and Jermaine Jenas had the chance to seal victory with the fifth kick, but Gomes saved and Pascal Chimbonda missed the 14th spot-kick to send the home crowd into raptures and pile misery on the travelling fans.

As many as fourteen penalties were taken in a dramatic and nerve racking penalty shoot-out before PSV booked a place in the UEFA Cup quarter finals. Danko Lazovic had PSV’s second spot kick saved, but PSV stopper Gomes kept his side in the game when it mattered most, as he saved the fifth penalty taken by Jenas. Spurs defender Chimbonda put his spot-kick wide and the Philips Stadium erupted with joy as PSV had kept their European campaign alive. Some memories came flooding back: PSV had reached the Champions League semi-finals on 13 April 2005 with a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Lyon at the Philips Stadium, with hero Gomes saving two spot-kicks.

On Wednesday evening, Berbatov scored a goal eight minutes from time to force extra time, leveling the score on aggregate. Tottenham had a great chance to win the penalty shoot-out, but PSV are indebted to the goalkeeping heroics of Gomes and some resilient defending during 120 minutes of intense football. The PSV keeper was given a standing ovation from the crowd. PSV will find out on Friday who they will face in this season’s UEFA Cup quarter-finals as the draw for the quarter finals and semi finals takes place in Switzerland.