PSV succeeded on Sunday afternoon to keep the connection with leader Ajax. Roger Schmidt’s team had a hard time at FC Utrecht, but thanks to a goal from Eran Zahavi, they eventually won narrowly and fiercely: 0-1. Special attention will be paid to Joël Drommel, who twice kept PSV’s goal clean in a sublime way. The team from Eindhoven is now two points behind Ajax in second place, while FC Utrecht continues to dangle in seventh place and is more or less certain of participating in the play-offs for a Conference League ticket.
Schmidt decided to remove Joey Veerman and Noni Madueke from the basic team after the spectacular 4-4 against FC Copenhagen: Eran Zahavi and Ritsu Doan joined the team for the disappointing pair. René Hake faced major personnel problems at Utrecht: Hidde ter Avest, Mark van der Maarel, Othman Boussaid, Bart Ramselaar, Mimoun Mahi, Henk Veerman were missing. So the coach had to improvise: left back Djevencio van der Kust played as right back, Tommy St. Jago made his comeback in the squad after a serious knee injury, and the injured Henk Veerman was replaced in striker by Anastasios Douvikas.
PSV clearly had the upper hand in Utrecht in the first half, which was mainly limited to defending. Armando Obispo thought he could head in a corner in freedom after 22 minutes, but had not counted on a wonderful reflex goalkeeper Fabio de Keijzer. The latter also reacted cathartic when Cody Gakpo fired a dangerous shot from close range just before half-time. In between those two moments, the goalkeeper on the other side also spoke: Joël Drommel was lightning fast from his goal to stop Remco Balk. The attacker from Utrecht had broken through after a cross by Douvikas.
Immediately after the break, Mike van der Hoorn put in a very hard header from a corner, which was beaten out of his goal by Drommel very handsomely. The ban was broken on the other side of the field in the 53rd minute. Ibrahim Sangaré mowed over a free ball, after which Gakpo continued the attack and again brought the ball low in front of the goal. Sangaré made an intended transfer this time and saw Zahavi type alert: 0-1.
The unfortunate Blak did not manage to get a pass at a very promising moment for Utrecht. The Domstedelingen tried to turn on in the final phase, but were hardly dangerous. Referee Bas Nijhuis let PSV player Mauro Júnior get away with an unfortunate ball on his arm, which was then headed by teammate Sangaré.
| No. | Team | m | W | G | V | † | Pnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajax | 26 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 66 | 63 |
| 2 | PSV | 26 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 32 | 61 |
| 3 | Feyenoord | 25 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 34 | 52 |
| 4 | AZ | 25 | 16 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 51 |
| 5 | FC Twente | 25 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 48 |
| 6 | Vitesse | 25 | 12 | 5 | 8 | -6 | 41 |
| 7 | FC Utrecht | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 40 |
| 8 | Fc Groningen | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | -4 | 33 |
| 9 | SC Cambuur | 26 | 10 | 3 | 13 | -12 | 33 |
| 10 | NEC | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | -10 | 31 |
| 11 | Heracles Almelo | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -8 | 27 |
| 12 | sc Heerenveen | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -14 | 27 |
| 13 | Go Ahead Eagles | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -16 | 27 |
| 14 | RKC Waalwijk | 26 | 5 | 9 | 12 | -14 | 24 |
| 15 | Fortuna Sittard | 25 | 6 | 4 | 15 | -27 | 22 |
| 16 | William II | 26 | 6 | 4 | 16 | -23 | 22 |
| 17 | Sparta Rotterdam | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -18 | 20 |
| 18 | PEC Zwolle | 25 | 5 | 5 | 15 | -20 | 20 |