Sunday, October 30, 2022 at 4:25 PM• Guy Habets • Last update: 16:38

PSV has simply converted the home game against NEC into a win. The people from Eindhoven were much stronger than the visitors from Gelderland, especially before half-time, and they deserved to win 3-0 in the end. Referee Martin van den Kerkhof did claim a leading role, since two PSV goals were not undisputed and a goal by Luuk de Jong was also rejected. Cody Gakpo, meanwhile, showed his best side by delivering two assists.

Last Thursday’s handsome 2-0 win over Arsenal was no reason for Ruud van Nistelrooij, the PSV coach, to leave the same team. The starting place for De Jong was no surprise, as the striker came in fantastic against the Gunners with an assist and a goal, but Armando Obispo and Jordan Teze also reported back to kick-off. NEC entered the Philips Stadium with a modified line of attack. Oussama Tannane and Elayis Tavsan were in the front.

The Nijmegen team has never won in Eindhoven and the opening phase gave no reason to think that it would be different this time. PSV immediately tightened their thumbs and thought they would quickly take the lead via Anwar El Ghazi. He headed in contrary, but saw a hand from Jasper Cillessen prevent the opening goal. Moments later, the wing attacker did hit the target. He completed a cross from Gakpo’s left nicely. De Jong was in the line of the shot and in an offside position, but according to the VAR, Cillessen was not hindered enough to disallow the goal. The target man was also not in sight of the keeper from Groesbeek.

Anwar El Ghazi put @PSV ahead; the VAR sees no reason to reject the 1-0?#psvnec pic.twitter.com/uRMi6oHcpC

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) October 30, 2022

The second Eindhoven goal did not seem long in coming. NEC couldn’t get out for a while, but survived and fought in the game anyway. Just when the visitors from the Keizerstad were allowed to start thinking about creating opportunities, the ball was back in the net behind Cillessen. De Jong headed in, but in the build-up of that attack, two fouls were made and Gakpo was offside. The video referee whispered to referee Van den Kerkhof to cancel this goal.

So halftime was reached with a 1-0 score for PSV and at the start of the second half it was again the turn of the referee to take the lead. Van den Kerkhof awarded a penalty after an alleged foul by Philippe Sandler on Xavi Simons, but was called to the screen by his VAR. Sandler’s tackle was on the ball, according to the video referee. Nevertheless, Van den Kerkhof decided to let the penalty stand and De Jong took advantage of that opportunity with great pleasure: 2-0.

That goal calmed the home side’s game. NEC got the ball and was allowed to come up with something, while PSV tried to put as little energy into the game as possible. Fifteen minutes before the end, the Eindhoven disinterest provided a huge opportunity for the guests. Iván Márquez appeared completely clear in front of the goal and hit the ball wrong with the head, so that his header went just wide. Just before time, NEC had also earned a penalty when substitute Ibrahim Cissoko was gaily grabbed in the sixteen-meter area, but Van den Kerkhof again made himself unpopular in Nijmegen by not making a sound. At that moment, Noni Madueke had already taken care of the 3-0 with a striking slider and that was it.