PSV D2 ended the first half of the season in style last Saturday, winning by three points. In Breda they beat NAC by 1-4. Because Willem II lost points again this weekend and seems to have definitely dropped out as title contender (we predicted it a few weeks ago), it looks like Den Bosch in particular will be a dangerous outsider after the winter break. While the Boschians are 16 points behind, they have also played three fewer games.
Well, back to Saturday. The D2 has won all its matches in recent weeks, but the way in which it did so was not enough to bring tears to its eyes. There was nothing wrong with the effort, but the field play was definitely not convincing and PSV seemed to be playing against themselves at times. The start of Saturday's game against NAC was again messy and lacking in vigor. PSV (with a fine playing Armando Obispo from the D3 in the starting line-up) allowed themselves to be pushed back from the start, which resulted after only three minutes in a dry blast from distance that hit the crossbar unstoppable for Aaron van Engelen: 0-1. PSV was immediately awake, we thought, but in the first ten minutes NAC kept combining better and PSV simply did not get out of their positions. Another good chance from a corner, which luckily Aaron caught perfectly, preventing worse. Trainer Twan Scheepers then intervened, made some changes and slowly but surely PSV started to play better. Not until the 13th (!) minute does PSV get a chance when Jeroen Swinkels tests the gloves of the NAC goalkeeper from distance. NAC is then mainly looking for distance shots that Aaron effortlessly takes. After 16 minutes finally a real chance for PSV. Danté Rigo (back in his 'old' team) moves well through midfield and serves the incoming Matthias Verreth. Matthias lays it wide to Giovanni Nicolaas who sees his shot disappear into the goalkeeper's hands. Not a "100% chance," but the momentum of the attack gives good hope for the further course of the match. At least the crowd jumps up and claps their hands warmly. A good sign!
Gio's shot is indeed the prelude to a stronger PSV, because less than a minute later Matthias shoots at the post and Danté fires strongly at the goalkeeper. We are very close to a goal a little later when Mats Grotenbreg, after a nice action from the right, pulls the ball tight to Zohair Labyad who has more or less free to shoot it in, but gets it wide. Matthias had a few more chances, but the better play did not pay off in goals.
After half time (oy oy!) it is almost 2-0 for NAC, but Jeroen saves from the goal line. And finally, finally; in the eighth minute Danté takes the team in tow. A flashy combination, which runs via Matthias and substitute Cody Gakpo (D3), arrives at a slide-in Danté who puts his foot dry against the ball and lays it nicely low into the corner: 1-1. A weight fell from the shoulders of the D2 and NAC was no longer in the game. The combinations started to flow and one attack after another rolled towards the Breda goal. First it was Ties van den Eijnde who broke through from the left and fired a shot that the goalkeeper tapped wide. A few minutes later the goal is scored. Again Cody was involved in the attack, but now the ball came via Danté to Matthias, who slotted in and made it 1-2. Cody and Zohair then get another chance of their own and Matthias should even score the 1-3, but like Zohair, the chance goes wide. After an action by Mats (no goal) it was Zohair who finally scored his goal with a fine solo: 1-3. Cody made a bold move and made the final score 1-4. Ties had a good chance to make it 1-5 just before the end, but his shot was placed too much through the middle and the goalkeeper dived wide.
In hindsight you can say: we could have done more, but especially in the second half the team played well, with a lot of conviction and at times a lot of flashy football. PSV showed on Saturday that they are rightly leading the league and are the team to beat after the winter break! Two or three more training sessions next week, then a deserved three-week rest period.