PSV ended 2015 in style. Coach Phillip Cocu's team won 3-2 against PEC Zwolle at Philips Stadium, making them co-leaders in the Eredivisie for at least one day. Maxime Lestienne made his comeback after a difficult period and pointed coach Phillip Cocu's team in the right direction with the decisive assist.
Pereiro hits nullified
PSV looked to be heading for an easy evening, thanks in part to a strong opening phase. Already within 15 minutes it was 2-0 and twice that goal came in the name of Pereiro. In the 7th minute, the Uruguayan was the end of an attack that ran through Hendrix and Locadia, and exactly seven minutes later he tapped PSV to 2-0 after a fine move by himself. Where the match seemed under control with that, the opposite proved true at halftime. PEC Zwolle levelled the score before the break. First Van Polen took advantage of a penalty in the 40th minute, after Moreno accidentally got the ball against his hand, and three minutes later Veldwijk even made it 2-2 with a blast into the roof of the goal.
Through Gastón Pereiro, PSV already had two goals in after 15 minutes | © Pics United
Dream comeback Lestienne
PSV had themselves to blame for those setbacks. After the break, Cocu's team had to work hard. It did, and aggressive pressure on the ball created chances. Twice De Jong should have put PSV U21 ahead, but twice he found his namesake Boy de Jong, who had replaced the injured goalkeeper Begois earlier in the goal. Yet another lead did come, and it had everything to do with a special substitution. Amid a standing ovation from the Philips Stadium, Maxime Lestienne made his return to PSV only to make it 3-2 barely three minutes after his entrance with a pinpoint cross. This time the captain did not fail, rewarding the energy PSV put into the match. The crowd thanked the Belgian by singing to him for minutes afterwards.
On a pass from Maxime Lestienne, Luuk de Jong scores the winning goal | © Pics United