PSV will take on Excelsior in Rotterdam on Wednesday night at 8:45 p.m. ET. Before the winter break, Phillip Cocu's team lost expensive points against Excelsior. Former PSV player Nigel Hasselbaink caused a disappointment in injury time by scoring the 1-1 behind Jeroen Zoet. At Woudestein, PSV must revenge for that draw, especially with Ajax's points loss in mind. Excelsior, for its part, is looking for form.
In search of a win
Coach Alfons Groenendijk's team has been waiting for another win since early November. On November 7, Excelsior last won, 3-2 at Willem II. Since then, two draws and five defeats have followed and, as a result, the team from Rotterdam's Kralingen district has dropped to fifteenth place in the Eredivisie. The dangerous sixteenth place is looming, as FC Twente is only one point below Excelsior. The gap with bottom-placed De Graafschap is still considerable at nine places.
Exceslior captain Sander Fischer in duel with Luciano Narsingh | © Pics United
Sander Fischer
Routinier Sander Fischer is in his ninth season of professional football. The captain started playing football in his hometown Rhoon and attended the youth academy of Excelsior. Fischer made his Eredivisie debut in 2008 with NAC. In 2013 Fischer returned to Excelsior and in his first full season at Woudestein he promoted with Excelsior to the Eredivisie to finish in a neat fifteenth place last season. Despite several offers, Fischer extended his contract by one year last summer.