PSV takes over lead from Ajax after late comeback in Nijmegen

Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 9:56 PM• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 22:13

PSV succeeded in extremis on Sunday in taking over the lead in the Eredivisie from Ajax. Trainer Roger Schmidt saw his team beat NEC 1-2 in De Goffert, after it was still 1-0 for the home club ten minutes before the end. As a result, the lead over Ajax, which earlier this Sunday lost 1-2 to AZ at home, is one point (37 to 36). The stiff NEC took the lead in the early stages, after Joël Drommel did not properly process a free kick from the home team. Substitute Yorbe Vertessen and Carlos Vinícius were the heroes of PSV in the final phase. Ibrahim Sangaré, who was shown a red card in the Europa League on Thursday, saw a goal disallowed for offside.

The visitors from Eindhoven already faced a 1-0 deficit in the eighth minute. A free kick by specialist Lasse Schöne was punched by Drommel, after which the ball ended up on the left side of Magnus Mattsson. The midfielder from Denmark could then simply tap in from close range: 1-0. A big downer for PSV, which just wanted to get revenge after the painful 3-0 defeat in a European context against Real Sociedad. NEC was pushed back by the title candidate, but it nevertheless did not yield the much desired equalizer in the first half. Cody Gakpo, operating from the right, dropped the ball at the far post for Bruma, but the opportunity was not spent on the Portuguese playing from the left. Carlos Vinícius was reasonably useful as a point of reference for PSV, although to the frustration of the Eindhoven players, no hits resulted.

Also in the initial phase of the second half, PSV continued to look for the equalizer in Nijmegen. Olivier Boscagli saw a shot go wide, while Sangaré was stopped just in time by the alert Cas Odenthal. After more than an hour of playing in De Goffert, PSV finally managed to find the net. Goalkeeper Mattijs Branderhorst parried Vinícius’ effort, but Sangaré managed to score in the rebound. However, the joy at PSV turned out to be premature, because the VAR ruled offside for the midfielder. Referee Serdar Gözübüyük therefore drew a line through PSV’s goal, to the relief of everything and everyone at NEC.

PSV, with Philipp Max and Vertessen as substitutes, saw Elayis Tavsan storming towards Drommel fifteen minutes before the end. The previously criticized goalkeeper made a controlled save, which in the end turned out to be crucial. Substitute Vertessen headed in from a corner after eighty minutes, although the ball still seemed to be touched, and in the final minute Carlos Vinícius was PSV’s goldcrest. The Brazilian attacker tapped in from close range after very good preparatory work by the strong substitute Maximiliano Romero. The latter judged a pass from Max’s left perfectly and with a cat-like movement on the back line he put the ball ready for the match winner. In the nine minutes of injury time, PSV’s lead was no longer in danger. As a result, Schmidt’s formation closes the sixteenth round in the Eredivisie as the leader. Ajax and also number three Feyenoord (36 points) follow just one point. PSV will play league matches this calendar year with RKC Waalwijk (December 19) and Go Ahead Eagles (December 23).