PSV v Sparta Rotterdam match preview
By: j |
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PSV travel to Rotterdam Saturday evening to face Sparta as the defending champions are in a desperate hunt to qualify for the Europa League. Five points behind Heerenveen, Dwight Lodeweges’ side look towards the tilt against relegation threatened Sparta as a “must-win”.
While endless local media sources are claiming that ex-Schalke coach Huub Stevens is ready to take charge of the Eindhoven side, the present manager said of Saturday’s match:
“I hope we’ll do well after the Eredivisie has paused for two weeks. It’s crucial that we win every game at this stage of the season. We need all three points on Saturday night. But so do Sparta, who will continue their bid for Eredivisie survival.”
Sparta will be without PSV on-loan ‘keeper Cássio Ramos, who was injured in practice as well as Charles Dissels and Sander van Gessel. Dwight Lodeweges will go forward without Stef Nijland and Funso Ojo to injury as well as Mike Zonneveld who is in the sin-bin. There is some concern of preparedness of players coming in from international duty which will require evaluation and could change the starting eleven. Greatest concern is of Carlos Salcido (Mexico) and Edison Méndez (Equador) with apparently no issues with Danko Lazović (Serbia), Balázs Dzsudzsák (Hungary) and Andreas Isaksson (Sweden).
Category: PSV Team News
international round-up of PSV
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With the international break a number of PSV players were involved in action this Saturday.
Ibrahim Afellay and Dirk Marcellis were both selected for Bert van Marwijk’s Netherlands provisional squad in their World Cup qualifying matches. Oranje pride blossomed in Amsterdam as they rolled over Scotland with ease 3-0 in a match they dominated from start to finish. After a number of near misses Bayern München’s Mark van Bommel got things going for the home side as his cross was sent in by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, in what surely was a peculiar homecoming. Before the break KJH’s Real Madrid teammate Arjen Robben sent in a corner that Arsenal’s Robin van Persie nodded in. With hopes for the Tartan Army waning, Dirk Kuyt connected from the spot to make it 3-0 in the seventy-eighth minute. Following the goal Ibrahim Afellay entered the match and the match concluded without further mark. The Netherlands returns to action next Wednesday against Macedonia with a handy eight point lead on their nearest competition.
Timmy Simons took his position in the starting eleven for René Vandereycken’s Belgium side along with fellow Eredivisie players Moussa Dembélé and Gill Swerts of AZ and Thomas Vermaelen of Ajax against the rapidly emerging Bosnia and Herzegovina side. After giving up an early 1-0 lead to VfL Wolfsburg’s Edin Džeko goal, the home side fought back level with Moussa Dembélé’s goal from Gill Swerts provision at five minutes past the hour. However the Bosnian side stormed back with three rapid fire goals, first from Sanel Jahić of Super League Greece’s Aris FC, followed up by Eintracht Frankfurt’s Zlatan Bajramović and lastly Wolfsburg’s Zvjezdan Misimović. While Wesley Sonck added a goal from the spot with a minute remaining, the match was decided and Belgium lost 4-2.
Danko Lazović was selected by Radomir Antić to be a part of the extraordinary resurgent Serbian squad. While both he and fellow fellow Eredivisie player Miralem Sulejmani of Ajax did not feature they can take solace that Serbia are in the drivers seat for World Cup qualification after dispatching Romania 3-2 in Constanta with goals from Standard Liège’s Milan Jovanović, Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanović and an own-goal via Universitatea Craiova’s Dorel Stoica. The Romanian’s canceled out with strikes of their own from VfB Stuttgart’s Ciprian Marica as well as Dorel Stoica’s effort but it wasn’t enough and Serbia took the 3-2 victory.
Balázs Dzsudzsák returned to Hungary as his homeland in one of the great stories of World Cup qualifying presently. Former PSV man Erwin Koeman has Hungary holding a share of Group 1 lead and with five matches remaining they are in line for their first World Cup appearance since 1986. With fellow Eredivisie players Gábor Babos of NEC Nijmegen and Boldizsár Bodor of Roda in Hungary’s lineup they faced a very tough Albanian side. Led by Arie Haan, Albania is a far more challenging than their ranking of eighty in the world suggests. Captained by Hannover 96’s Altin Lala with Lorik Cana of Marseille in their lineup as well as a formidable back-line that includes Armend Dallku and Debatik Curri of Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava, the Albanians put forth a well disciplined side that is quite capable of launching a powerful counter offensive. After early efforts by Borussia Dortmund’s Tamás Hajnal, last years Hungarian player of year, were wide by a fraction a rare defensive blunder gifted Sándor Torghelle an close range opportunity with the FC Augsburg striker making no mistake. The 1-0 lead was enough as Hungary’s defending was fool proof.
Andreas Isaksson was named to Lars Lagerbäck’s Sweden lineup in their critical match against faltering Portugal in beautiful Lisbon. With both sides watching their World Cup qualifying efforts dimming, the match was highly anticipated by many. In addition to the PSV ‘keeper on the squad list he was joined with fellow Eredivisie players Viktor Elm of SC Heerenveen, Ajax’s Rasmus Lindgren and Groningen duo Marcus Berg and Andreas Granqvist. The Portuguese side, while controlling much of the run of play and certainly the creator of significant scoring chances were held in a scoreless draw.
Category: PSV Team NewsPSV defeats Vitesse 2-0
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Following last weeks disappointing 1-0 loss Feyenoord, PSV returned to win column with a 2-0 dispatching of Vitesse at Philips Stadion. With the victory, PSV closes the gap on Heerenveen, who lost on Friday to De Graafschap, to five points.
After a cautious early stage PSV, Balázs Dzsudzsák began to kick start the attack with a few prospective attempts and six minutes before the half-hour Otman Bakkal’s cross was headed-in by Ibrahim Afelley for the 1-0 lead. With the one goal advantage PSV showed little initiative to go forward and was content the halt the advances of the opposition with noteworthy ease. While Ola Toivonen had a chance to double the margin early in the second half, with his effort caressing the bar, with twenty minutes remaining the Swedish international finally found the mark as he sent in Dirk Marcellis’ provision. The match concluded without further incident and PSV walked out with a straight-forward 2-0 victory.
PSV returns to action next Saturday against Sparta Rotterdam.
Category: PSV Team NewsPSV’s downward spiral continues with loss to Feyenoord
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Following PSV recent tough last minute draw to Twente hopes for a Champions League bid were effectively thrust aside. Looking for a turnaround, PSV instead continued their downward spiral continues with 1-0 loss to Feyenoord at De Kuip.
In matches like these, journalists might use phrases to note that both clubs were tactically minded or set a defensive trap to launch a counter. However to do so in this case would be deceiving because in-fact the match was dreary and PSV played like a team effectively out of European competition. While pedigree is duly noted, players must play with a lust for success and not simply “show up.” On Sunday afternoon, PSV showed up at De Kuip and handed their curriculum vitae to the Rotterdam side and expected them to roll-over. They didn’t and after sustaining three injuries to their starting eleven, found the winning strike from Leroy Fer with seventeen minutes remaining. Following the goal, PSV continued along the same patch that had through the match and basically did nothing to earn the three points.
PSV returns to play next Saturday against Vitesse in a “must win” to salvage their Europa League hopes.
Category: PSV Team NewsPSV hopes for Champions League comes to an end
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PSV’s run of Champions League play has come to a likely end as facing a “must-win” situation, Blaise N’Kufo’s goal for Twente in the fourth minute of added-time brought the match to a 1-1 conclusion. The draw leaves the defending in champions in fifth place, nine points behind Twente with only eight matches to play. With AZ cruising to the Eredivisie championship, quite obviously the focus for PSV must now be clawing its way back up the table and overtake Heerenveen, for the final Europa League spot.
After the match was delayed for twenty-fours to resurface the Arke Stadion pitch, de Tukkers created the first opportunity not quite ten minutes in as Cheik Tiote’s effort went over the bar. However within minutes Balázs Dzsudzsák was up to creative best and forced the best out of Sander Boschker to turn the ball aside. Late heroics on the opposite end of the pitch by Andreas Isaksson prevented the home side from taking the lead as he denied Blaise N’Kufo’s opportunistic close-range effort.
At the re-start PSV seemed to understand the gravity of the situation and came out with volition. However five minutes Nordin Amrabat received a yellow card that banishes him from next weeks match against surging Feyenoord. Three minutes past the hour PSV took the lead, albeit via a questionable route as following a foul call, Ibrahim Afelley quickly dispatched the ball to a free and clear Balázs Dzsudzsák who sent the ball into the net. With four minutes Dwight Lodeweges called upon ex Chivas man Francisco Rodríguez to shore up defending and following a stop on Austrian Marko Arnautović’s effort by Andreas Isaksson in the closing moments, it appeared the defending champions would return from Enschede with three points. However Twente’s captain Blaise Kufo had something else in mind as in the fourth minute of added time he latched onto a rebound from Marko Arnautović’s attempt and slotted the ball into the netting.
Category: PSV Team NewsPSV v Twente match preview
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Following last weeks lost to last gasp loss to SC Heerenveen, defending champions PSV find themselves fifth in the Eredivisie table, a shocking eighteen points behind runaway leader AZ. With the slimmest of hopes for a Champions League spot, they travel to Enschede to face Twente at Arke Stadion.
Along with AZ, Twente is clearly the surprise stories of the Eredivisie as the two clubs are poised to win Champions League berths. The Steve McClaren led side are in the midst of a fifteen match unbeaten streak and showing little signs of slowing up. With only one loss at home this year they can end the faint hopes of PSV returning the Champions League with a victory and seal one of the worst years in Eindhoven in quite some time.
For the match Dwight Lodeweges has a fully-fit squad with only Jason Culina absent to suspension, to which Jan Kromkamp will step in.
Category: PSV Team NewsHeerenveen sinks PSV with late goal
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In a highly disappointing ending, Heerenveen sealed a come from behind 3-2 win over PSV at Philips Stadion with late goal by Danijel Pranjić. With the loss PSV tumbles to fifth in the Eredivisie table and now faces a “must-win” match next week against Twente.
From last weeks starting eleven against FC Groningen, PSV manager Dwight Lodeweges recalled Oranje capped Danny Koevermans in favour of Ola Toivonen, who returned from suspension. The Friezen side started fast as only fifteen minutes in Viktor Elm fed the highly promising teen prospect Paulo Henrique the ball and the Brazilian quickly sent the ball past Andreas Isaksson. Down by one PSV hunted for the equalizer and after coming close with Ibrahim Afellay’s effort, Balázs Dzsudzsák redirected Nordin Amrabat’s cross four minutes before the half hour. Billowing with confidence the defending champions took the lead only five minutes later when Timmy Simons poached on the rebound of Ibrahim Afellay’s drive.
After the break poor defending allowed the visitors to level the match six minutes after the restart with Paulo Henrique collecting a poor clearance and adding his second of the night. With the match going back and forth, PSV came close to finding the winner, however each was to no avail. Finally, deep into added, Jason Culina was shown a straight red-card for fouling Danijel Pranjić in the area. Without hesitation the Croatian international drove the ball into the net giving SC Heerenveen the 3-2 victory.
Category: PSV Team NewsPSV v SC Heerenveen match preview
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Following last weeks 1-0 victory over FC Groningen via Danko Lazović’s last second strike, PSV stands fourth in the Eredivisie table, six points behind Twente in the final Champions League spot. Hopeful to return to the premier tournament PSV welcome a surging SC Heerenveen to Philips Stadion on Friday night.
Dwight Lodeweges has a fully-fit squad available to him, including Ola Toivonen who returns from the sin-bin. The manager said of his choices:
“It’s nice we have a full-strength squad available. Toivonen put in convincing displays before he served a two-match ban and Danny Koevermans as well as Danko Lazović have shown their quality when they deputised up front. We have a large squad but it’s important that the players know what they’re up to.”
Of the opposition he added:
“Heerenveen have a style of play similar to AZ. They’ve been playing attacking football the past few seasons. FC Groningen have the ability to play more opportunistic football. (Last week) We scored the winner at the death, seconds before the final whistle went. It was a vital goal and an important win. But tomorrow night’s game is another vital one as we embark upon a series of five crucial games.”
Enjoy the match and as always I will report on it as it concludes.
Category: PSV Team NewsDanko Lazović saves PSV with late goal
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Serbian international Danko Lazović saved the day for PSV with a strike three minutes into added time to give the defending champions a 1-0 victory over FC Groningen. With the victory, PSV draws level in points with Ajax and only three off second-place Twente.
For the majority of the match, attacking vision was absent with only the home side Groningen threatening. Marcus Berg rang the post for the host six minutes past the hour but the match seemed headed for a scoreless draw as Dwight Lodeweges brought in Danko Lazović and Stef Nijland in the final five minutes. The impact was immediate as three minutes into added time Jason Culina dispatched the ball to Stef Nijland, who then crossed to Danko Lazović at the far post, which he subsequently nodded-in for the 1-0 victory.
PSV returns to action next Friday against Heerenveen.
Category: PSV Team NewsPSV v FC Groningen match preview
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Following the late comeback against AZ, PSV finds itself in fourth in the Eredivisie, riding the wave of success under manager Dwight Lodeweges. Light-years apart from the Hubb Stevens led squad, the defending champions are undefeated in four matches while filling the nets with sixteen goals.
With only eleven matches left in the campaign, six points behind Twente in the final Champions League spot, the next four matches are crucial to returning to the prestigous tournament. Following Saturdays match against FC Groningen, who are only two points behind them, they face Heerenveen, Twente and intense match against Feyenoord and know full well that twelve points could get them back to centre stage.
Ron Jans FC Groningen are following their own dreams and riding a six match unbeaten streak. A tough side to beat at home, they are within two points of a Europa League spot and Euroborg Stadion will be out in full force supporting their club.
Dwight Lodeweges said of the opposition:
“We must be wary of FC Groningen’s opportunistic style of play. They get the crowd behind them and, backed by the vociferous support of their home fans, they attempt to trample all over their opponents.
“Looking ahead at the tough fixture list, this is a crucial game for us”, explained Lodeweges.
“We are ready for the challenge. FC Groningen are hard to beat, but we feel we stand a fair chance of returning to winning ways. They will try to put early pressure on our defence, but we won’t allow them to catch us by surprise.”
PSV has a full squad available excluding Ola Toivonen, who is sin-bin.
Category: PSV Team News
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