The tally stands at 4....the tally of the number of matches in a row (incl cup match). What was it going to be on this weekday? The omens almost all pointed to another draw. After all: today is March 3. In other words: 3-3. But also the 3 of a draw on the toto sheet. But hopefully today the 3 would stand for the 3 points we could desperately use to join the leading group of the champions' pool.

Opponent tonight: AZ. The team that finished first in the qualifying round of the Northern pool by a street length. In other words: a tough opponent.

Immediately in the first minute a corner for the home team. Via the ball it was cleared. The game waves back and forth, with a lot of sloppiness on both sides.
After 3 minutes PSV could take a free kick. The ball is turned in and punched away by the AZ goalkeeper. However, the counter is soon nipped in the bud. In the 7th minute, PSV gets another free kick, easily given by the confused referee. At 20 meters, Sekou placed himself behind the ball. He fires with a crafty bounce, but the AZ goalkeeper is in the right place, and makes the free kick harmless.
PSV got into the game a bit better and dominated, while AZ mainly played long balls. After 12 minutes a nice pass from Joop Daniels between the AZ defenders, after which Sekou can go for the goal. However, the ball hit the roof of the goal. Immediately after this a dangerous ball wide by Abou allowing AZ to intercept, but the ball is poorly handled and Lucas can easily pick up the ball, without danger.

After this, Joep gets a shot opportunity from just outside the sixteen, but with his left leg he cannot find the net. A good phase of PSV on the dark (poorly lit) artificial turf pitch.
Halfway through the first half Greg sends Yasin deep, his cross unfortunately ends up with the goalie before the incoming Joop can become dangerous. Immediately after this a good individual action on the right by Sekou, who delivers the ball to Yasin on the edge of the box, but the goalkeeper saves AZ again. AZ can't do anything against this, apart from two harmless corners, and we go into the break 0-0.

In the break it appears that Joep cannot continue and he is replaced by Arne. The game was a bit flatter in the second half than in the first. The substitutions by trainers Edwin and Eric unfortunately could not change this. PSV was the better team, and gave nothing away, but we could not really "kill" the game.

The last 10 minutes a final offensive with several corners and free kicks for the red-whites, but the net was unfortunately not found. With 0-0 back on the bus to Eindhoven, and Saturday against VVV we will try to get another three points.


Lucas Derks; Gregory Kuisch, Abou Kone, Tijn Daverveld, Bryan van Hove (63' Joey Verhoeven); Evert Linthorst, Koen Oostenbrink (52' Vince Colpaert), Joep Hakkens (36' Arne Bens); Sekou Sidibe (c), Yasin Aalillou, Joop Daniels (56' Sem van den Broek)