PSV has sovereignly secured the quarterfinals of the Conference League. Just like last week, the Eindhoven team scored four times against FC Copenhagen, but this time they did not concede a single goal: 0-4. Last week it was still 4-4 in the Netherlands. The biggest stain on the evening was an ankle injury for Cody Gakpo in the second half.
PSV, supported by 1100 supporters who traveled with them, led 0-2 after an excellent first half. Mario Götze played a key role in the first half, making his first appearance in the tenth minute. With a very watched pass in the penalty area, he found Eran Zahavi, who took the ball straight from the air with the left leg from about eight meters. The bet was not very powerful, but goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johnsson made a mistake and let the ball slip under him.
Although the goal came from the first serious chance, PSV was already the dominant party. Even after the goal, PSV was most emphatically looking for a goal. The Eindhoven team played fluently, while little was left of last week’s excellent field game near Copenhagen. The difference in power resulted in a larger lead seven minutes before half-time. Gakpo served Philipp Max at the right time, who with a sharp, low cross enabled Götze to make it 0-2 at the far post.
Shortly afterwards, PSV was close to 0-3, but Gakpo hit the bar via a defender from Copenhagen. The second half started with a double damper for PSV. Denis Vavro kicked Gakpo out of the game and got away with a yellow card; the protesting Érick Gutiérrez also received a yellow card and is therefore suspended from the first quarterfinal game. Then 16-year-old Roony Bardghji got the first chance for Copenhagen after preparatory work from Kevin Diks, but his shot went wide.
Copenhagen then reported threatening a few times, for example via a shot by Vavro that sailed wide. However, PSV did not encounter any major problems. Eleven minutes before time, the Eindhoven team decided the game. Joey Veerman, who was an excellent substitute for Gakpo, combined with Ritsu Doan. The Japanese enabled Zahavi to take care of the 0-3 from close range; in stoppage time substitute Noni Madueke made it 0-4 as Johnsson misjudged a shot again. PSV will learn on Friday who will be the opponent in the quarterfinals.