PSV has been eliminated from the Conference League. The team of trainer Roger Schmidt lost 1-2 to Leicester City on Thursday evening, a week after the 0-0 draw in England. After a goal from Eran Zahavi, the people of Eindhoven seemed on their way to the semi-finals, but in the last fifteen minutes Leicester completely turned the game around. Bind in the semi-finals the Foxes compete with AS Roma or Bodö/Glimt.
A big mistake by Youri Tielemans helped PSV take the lead after 26 minutes. The Leicester midfielder suddenly handed the ball in his own half to Mario Götze, who quickly found Eran Zahavi to his right. From a difficult angle, Zahavi pushed the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, thanks to a light touch from Jonny Evans: 1-0. Before the goal, both teams had already become dangerous. In the eighth minute Evans headed the ball through after a free kick, after which Wesley Fofana apparently unconsciously headed over from close range.
Not much later, James Maddison came far into the PSV penalty area, but failed to fire a shot. On the other side, Philipp Max delivered a measured cross to Götze, who took the ball straight out of the air at the far post. He came across Schmeichel. A splitting through ball from Kelechi Iheanacho suddenly provided a great opportunity for Leicester: Harvey Barney sprinted to the box with the ball at his foot, but did not have his sights on sharp and got the ball wide.
A nice cross pass from Joey Veerman, not his only one of the match, resulted in a shot by Mauro Júnior in minute 25: the right back entered the box along the box and looked for the right corner, which was successfully guarded by Schmeichel. After the opening goal, Leicester looked for the equalizer. After a deflected flare from Maddison, Jordan Teze creditably cleared the ball in front of the goal line; after a dangerous cross from Tielemans, Timothy Castagne headed wide from close range.
In the first fifteen minutes of the second half, PSV became dangerous twice: a touched long shot by Veerman sailed just wide, after which Zahavi headed over from close range and André Ramalho extended a corner. Leicester then had a huge opportunity at the 1-1. After a pass from Iheanacho, Patson Daka suddenly stormed onto Yvon Mvogo’s goal and pushed the ball wide. PSV was under considerable pressure and gave up the lead thirteen minutes before the end. Ricardo Pereira serves Ayoze Pérez, who cut out Ramalho at the back line and found Maddison in the penalty area. The latter shot against the grain, although Mvogo was still at the ball: 1-1.
Mvogo kept PSV going moments later: Lookman suddenly had a lot of space and offered Perez a huge opportunity, just in front of the goal. With a reflex, the keeper tapped the ball over the bar. Moments later, Mvogo also saved a shot by Daka, but in the second instance Pereira decided the game. The goal was sour for PSV, but not undeserved: Leicester looked a lot fitter and more threatening in the final phase. PSV barely got involved in the second company and can cross out the first potential main prize: their sights are now on Sunday’s cup final and the battle for the national title.