PSV scores four times in Austria and is only disappointed with Sangaré’s red card

Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 8:34 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 20:44

PSV has won the second match in the group stage of the Europa League. After a 2-2 draw against Real Sociedad, a 1-4 victory over Sturm Graz, the Group B underdog, followed on Thursday evening. Ibrahim Sangaré, Eran Zahavi, Philipp Max and Yorbe Vertessen accounted for the goals. Because Real Sociedad and AS Monaco drew simultaneously with 1-1, PSV is the leader in the group together with Monaco.

Sturm Graz – PSV 1-4
Schmidt opted for the same eleven names in Austria as in the lost away match against Willem II (2-1) on Saturday. PSV dominated in the first half and led 0-1 at halftime. After more than half an hour, a corner from Cody Gakpo landed on Olivier Boscagli’s head, after which the Belgian headed towards Sangaré. The midfielder then completed the turn in a clever way: 0-1. In the first 25 minutes, PSV did not hand out any pinpricks, but shortly before the opening goal, a long shot by Gakpo went wide and goalkeeper Jörg Siebenhandl saved a free kick from Max.

At the end of the second half, Götze and Zahavi had attempts for goal, while Sturm Graz did not offer anything in return. Five minutes after the break, PSV expanded the margin after a razor-sharp counter. Zahavi served Mario Götze on the right side, continued towards the penalty area, received the ball back and got his right leg against it. He didn’t hit the ball optimally, but left goalkeeper Siebenhandl without a chance. Shortly afterwards, however, Sturm Graz found the connection. After a sharp, turning cross by Jakob Jantscher, an uncovered Jon Gorenc Stankovic headed in.

The goal gave the home team new energy. After 65 minutes, Sturm Graz was very close to equalizing as Joël Drommel footed a header from Otar Kiteishvili and Kelvin Yeboah failed to capitalize on the rebound from close range. Eighteen minutes before the end, Carlos Vinicius missed a huge chance at 1-3, when he had the time and space to shoot just in front of the goal, but still gave Siebenhandl the chance to make a save. The ensuing corner, however, created a shooting opportunity for the year-old Max, whose incomparable shot flew from considerable distance into the top left corner.

Substitute Vertessen closed the game shortly afterwards. The attacker looked for space himself and pushed the ball into the far corner in a controlled manner: 1-4. With a header from Anderson Niangbo from a pike, which exploded on the post, Sturm Graz was still close to 2-4. That didn’t happen, but the match still had a frustrating end for PSV. After putting his left hand in Andreas Kuen’s face, Sangaré received his second yellow card. He is therefore suspended for the home game against AS Monaco on Thursday 21 October. Against ten PSV men, Niangbo fired a nice shot with the outside of his foot, but Drommel got the ball out of the intersection.

Real Sociedad – AS Monaco 1-1
Monaco did not appear with the strongest team in Estadio Anoeta. Players like Wissam Ben Yedder, Kevin Volland and Gelson Martins sat on the bench, while Myron Boadu started in the starting lineup. However, it was a defender who gave Monaco the lead after fifteen minutes. Captain Axel Disasi towered over his guards in the penalty area after a corner from Sofiane Diop and nodded in the left corner. Seven minutes after the break, Real Sociedad came alongside: after a corner from Adnan Januzaj, Mikel Merino headed into the far corner. Due to the draw, Monaco has collected four points, as many as PSV.