Location: Sportpark Merelweg in Venlo
The last game of 2012 was scheduled this league round. The C1 faced an unknown opponent in VVV/Helmond Sport. A team with mixed results. While PSV was working on a good series in the league. It was also important to maintain second place behind leader Feyenoord and not let the gap of 8 points increase further. This second place is shared with Willem II/RKC.
After some (start-up) problems in Eindhoven where a van refused to start, we left for Venlo. And we know that near there are two streets called Merelweg. Despite everything, we arrived on time as planned and could start on the artificial turf field. Because it had snowed quite a bit in the Limburg area last week, the large piles of snow were still lying along the line against the fence. A strange sight at a temperature of about 10 degrees.
PSV started the match with concentration and let the ball circulate nicely. They waited patiently until the Venlo defense found a gap and were not afraid to play the ball back and forth for a long time. Just as long as it took to find the right depth. Chances came naturally. In the early stages, Karim Bannani was unable to reach a high cross from Jaëll Hattu at the far post, and a beautifully cut cross from Dante Rigo also just failed to reach a PSV player. Striker Matthias Verreth was also close to scoring the opening goal after he was put in front of the Venlo goalkeeper via a long throw-in by goalkeeper Mike van den Meulenhof. His fiery shot went just wide, however. After Karim forgot to score after a beautiful solo, but instead put the ball aside, the goal was scored in the 27th minute. Lennerd Daneels conquered the ball halfway through the Venlo half, played Matthias on and went deep himself on the right. At the right moment Matthias passed the ball to Matthias, after which Lennerd ran into the penalty area and shot the ball hard and dry into the far corner: 0-1 for PSV and finally the reward for the game.
The lead gave the team of occasional coach Joonas Kolkka (Edwin de Wijs was in South Africa with the B2 as part of Worldcoaches) wings. And at times, true gallery play was on display.
Dante was set free in front of goal by Matthias via a little stick, but his shot went over via the top of the crossbar. VVV was hardly dangerous. And when it came close to the Eindhoven goal, captain Tom Scheepers, Kaan Tanriver, Lassane Faye and Roel van Linschoten intervened well. Not for nothing did goalkeeper Mike van de Meulenhof go cold. The consequence of when VVV once dwelled close to PSV's goal area was that there were spaces. And once PSV showed it had a great counter. The ball passed quickly from foot to foot and Jaëll was free in front of the goalkeeper. Because the keeper was well out of his goal, he could barely prevent the 0-2. Because Joey Konings was unfortunate in the final minutes after two strong drives, we went to rest with a meager 0-1 lead.
In the second half, PSV continued in the same vein. The ball was calmly kept in the team and played around nicely to find the right moments of depth to put the strikers in position. However, the pace of the ball was increased slightly so that VVV had even less access to the ball. And of course this again led to chances. But PSV handled them sloppily. Sometimes it seemed as if they did not want to score. Full 100% chances were wasted on Dante and Matthias. We had to wait until the 53rd minute for another goal. Right back Roel van Linschoten was sent into the depths by Joey on the right. And Roel went off on an adventure. Passed a couple of men and once he was on the back line, he put the ball back to Jaëll who ran along and passed the ball to Matthias who shot hard against the ball. Not much later, in trying to keep a ball in, Matthias came into hard contact with the fencing next to the goal and had a lot of pain in his shoulder. Despite the pain, he was still able to put the 0-3 on the board. This came about after a beautiful attack that looked much like an indoor football action. Karim came cut inside with the ball at his foot on the left and crossed the ball to the deep-lying Dante, who stepped beautifully into space and not selfishly left the scoring to Matthias by laying the ball aside instead of shooting himself.
Just before time, VVV was close to the honorary goal when a midfielder suddenly came up from close to Mike and tapped a cross just wide. The final chord was for PSV when substitute Ertem Bölükbas cleverly sliced through the Venlo defense, but was not given enough space to strike. His pass wide to Joey was shot just wide.
PSV won again, kept the score zero for the third league game in a row and consolidated their second place. Which it now occupies alone after Willem II dropped 2 points in Maastricht. A compliment to the entire team for their fine play today. And a DIK compliment to the excellent referee we had today!
On behalf of the entire PSV C1 staff we wish all players, parents and supporters a Merry Christmas and a sportive and successful 2013!!!
Mike van de Meulenhof; Roel van Linschoten, Kaan Tanriver, Tom Scheepers (c), Lassane Faye (49' Ties van den Eijnde); Dante Rigo, Lennerd Daneels (66' Ymanuel Hurkmans), Jaëll Hattu; Joey Konings, Matthias Verreth (64' Ertem Bölükbas), Karim Bannani.