The last match of PSV o15 was lost. In Amsterdam they lost 2-1 to Ajax. On this weeknight the team of Edwin de Wijs and Eric Addo had a chance for revenge. Ajax was now visiting Eindhoven.
Would the team now be able (dare?) to throw off all its shyness? And "just" try to play its own game with which it was so successful, especially before the winter break?
After a week and a half of preparation and looking forward to this match, the match started exactly at 6 p.m. with PSV kicking off. And at 6:01 p.m., PSV kicked off again. All battle plans were immediately binned, because already within a minute Ajax scored after PSV couldn't get the ball away in the back.
PSV was immediately behind. And struggled to make a fist in the attack. In the 4th minute Koen Oostenbrink extended a free kick with his head, but this was hardly a chance. A few minutes later Ajax popped up dangerously in the sixteen. PSV was able to clear the ball and was immediately very dangerous in the transition. Via Yasin Aalillou the ball ended up with Sekou Sidibe, who shot high over.
The game became more balanced, although Ajax had more ball possession. By coming out quickly, goalkeeper Kyan van Dorp prevented further Amsterdam danger in the 23rd minute. At the other end, the Ajax goalie did the same when a minute later Yasin Aalillou popped up in front of him.
Just before halftime Ajax still got to 0-2 after PSV could not clear the ball sufficiently. And it was thanks to Kyan that it stayed that way until the halftime signal, as he made a fine save on a close-range effort in the final minute.
In the second half, PSV had to pull out all the stops to turn the game around. It also started brighter, but could not build enough punch up front. When Ajax scored 0-3 in the 47th minute, the game was over. Kyan cleverly turned away a free kick, but the ball was put back in front. A real pinball game ensued in front of the goal line where PSV could not get the ball out of danger. Resulting in an Ajacied player finally shooting hard inside.
Two minutes later things went from bad to worse: Koen hooked an opponent inside the infamous lines and Ajax got a penalty. Kyan cleverly turned it away, but the rebound was still for an Ajax player who lifted the score to 0-4. A massacre beckoned.
But PSV recovered somewhat and was able to limit the damage. They also had a chance of their own when Yasin crossed well from the right and Joep Hakkens took the ball in one go. Again the Ajax goalkeeper did not have to act because the ball went high over.
Just before time, Ajax also scored the 0-5. A goal for the statistics shall we say.
A justified defeat today. Ajax was literally and figuratively a size too big today.
Fortunately, we will soon have another opportunity to show how well we can play football, because the away game against Willem II awaits us on Friday. We will start 0-0 again.
Kyan van Dorp; Abou Kone (66' Joey Verhoeven), Koen Oostenbrink, Tijn Daverveld, Bryan van Hove (56' Gregory Kuisch); Evert Linthorst, Davy van den Berg (c), Arne Bens (41' Vince Colpaert); Sekou Sidibe, Yasin Aalillou, Joep Hakkens (62' Sem van den Broek).
Yellow cards: Evert Linthorst (holding), Tijn Daverveld (foul) and Sekou Sidibe (game misconduct).