Today the home game against Feyenoord, always a special game against our friends from Rotterdam. Unfortunately 3 players were injured today, and you can see from their faces that they are fed up with having to miss this particular game. Normally when PSV plays against Feyenoord and you enter the locker room, you already feel the tension coming towards you, but no with this group not at all, these guys are not in awe of anyone and feel they are the best and have no fear of anyone. A feeling that is often different in Eindhoven!!!!!!. Doesn't mean they have no respect for their opponent, but they know that if they give it their all there is nothing to be gained in Eindhoven. So when the w-Up starts the heads go on tight and they are busy with the match, and with their goal, winning today.
Feyenoord of course brings the bluff that we are used to from them, making PSV wait a few minutes when they are already long ready on the pitch, but these boys of PSV U13 are all sc..t to that and nothing can bring them out of their concentration. PSV starts the match with a fierce start, it is Shijon who interferes with a defender of the Rotterdammers, Ruben gets the ball, who passes it to Shijon and he manages to put the ball in the far corner of the net with a nice curve, 1-0, what a start after two minutes. After this quick lead a fascinating football battle ensues. This battle mainly takes place between 16 yards and 16 yards with very few chances, PSV a few small ones and Feyenoord actually none. But that does not make the game any less attractive. PSV played well, but Feyenoord were unable to get through due to good defense. But even at times the Rotterdammers showed some good players. In the last minute of the first half a great chance for Shijon, he has already passed the goalkeeper, but he comes just a bit too far outside, so the angle becomes very difficult, and the goalkeeper is also back in time to stop the shot inside the post. So we rested with a 1-0 lead for PSV.
At the start of the 2nd half, Feyenoord show that they have been told that they will have to do more, Feyenoord start more eagerly, but the boys quickly put their house in order, and are once again lord and master all over the pitch. Chahid has a great chance but the ball lands on the front crossbar unfortunately. The game slowly draws to a close with PSV playing well, and when things don't go their way they fight for every meter and every ball. In the last 10 minutes Feyenoord played one on one at the back to force the equalizer. But because of this tactical change it is PSV that gets the chances. PSV put full pressure on the Feyenoord goal in the last 10 minutes, but did not get the ball in. Maybe PSV should have got a penalty, but the referee on duty was very far away. All in all a nice victory for the boys of PSV U13 who played good football, but also showed fight and passion, and made it clear who is the best. And then of course it's always about who scored, but when you only manage to score once, like today, preventing goals is just as important, so some attention for the defense, the last 8 games without a goal against, deserves a compliment, and they also just had to fit in 2 players from under 12 in their defense, Reda and Tijn did a great job, partly due to the support and coaching they got from the rest of the defense. But also these guys give nothing and really nothing away every week. Next week MVV comes to visit and we will have to fight for the points again with the same passion and fight, but this group can do that. They all know that they have to keep working hard to succeed, but that will certainly come good.