PSV booked a problem-free victory in the Eredivisie on Saturday. The team of coach Ruud van Nistelrooij did not impress the home crowd, but thanks to an effective second half, they won well against relegation candidate Excelsior: 4-0.
Luuk de Jong scored the opening goal in the Philips Stadium in the twelfth minute. Xavi Simons made the decision in the 78th minute and is now joint top scorer in the Eredivisie with FC Utrecht striker Anastasios Douvikas (fourteen goals each). Via Fábio Silva and Érick Gutiérrez, PSV ran out to a big win in the final phase.
Although PSV scored four times, the home crowd was not exactly entertained, especially in the first half. Earlier this week, the people of Eindhoven also had a hard time with amateur club SV Spakenburg in the semi-finals of the KNVB Cup. The club from the Second Division was only beaten 1-2.
Thanks to the victory over Excelsior, PSV is currently in second place in the Eredivisie. Leader Feyenoord has five points more and will play a home game against RKC Waalwijk on Sunday. Ajax then receives Fortuna Sittard and can call itself number two in the Eredivisie again with a victory.
Excelsior remains in the danger zone due to the defeat. The Kralingers are in sixteenth place and are virtually sentenced to the post-competition for survival. The lead over number seventeen FC Groningen is seven points. Only the bottom two teams are relegated directly.
Stand boven in de Eredivisie
1. Feyenoord 27-64 (+36)
2. PSV 28-59 (+42)
3. Ajax 27-56 (+45)
4. AZ 28-54 (+21)
Xavi Simons again excels at PSV
Four days after the narrow victory over Spakenburg, PSV got off to a good start against Excelsior. After twelve minutes it was already hit. Patrick van Aanholt was given time to provide a cross and found the completely detached De Jong, who made his ninth league goal of the season from close range.
It turned out to be no harbinger for a goal-rich first half. PSV created few chances and was lucky that Excelsior did not score. The best chance was five minutes before the break for Kenzo Goudmijn. He was allowed to lash out after good preparatory work by Couhaib Driouech, but his sights were not sharp.
The PSV players went to the dressing room under a whistling concert, but after the break the home fans were still spoiled. Without De Jong, who had been substituted as a precaution – Guus Til came on for him – Joey Veerman failed to score in the first half minute of the second minute. After good preparatory work by Simons, the midfielder pushed the ball just wide.
Fifteen minutes after the break, Simons got an even bigger chance. The home team’s star player stood in a detached position so close to the goal line that he couldn’t really miss, but he still shot the ball over. In the 78th minute, Simons took revenge: the nineteen-year-old attacker headed in after Jordan Teze had stolen the ball from Nathan Tjoe-A-On.
PSV was then able to play football freely and in the final phase walked further away from the battle-weary Excelsior. Silva was able to head in in the 82nd minute after an excellent cross from star Simons and five minutes later Gutiérrez also scored his goal. The Mexican hit the inside of the post. PSV could have scored even more after that, but Excelsior was spared a bigger defeat.
