PSV beat Ajax In an 8-goal thriller to win the Johan Cruijff shield in Amsterdam
PSV Eindhoven won the Johan Cruijff Shield on Saturday, beating Ajax in the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam by a score of 3-5. Guus Til was the main man for PSV, scoring a hat trick on his competitive debut. Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons were the other goalscorers for PSV on the day.
Both teams started with a fresh lineup with many new signings playing their first competitive game for both sides. Steven Bergwijn and Owen Wijndal started their first competitive game for Ajax. PSV gave three players their first competitive starts.
Steven Bergwijn silenced the PSV fans who had been whistling him earlier in the game after 15 minutes when he smashed a shot into the top corner of the PSV net from outside the 16-yard box giving Ajax the lead.
Ajax dominated the first half an hour, but despite this, PSV leveled after 31 minutes through one of their new signings. A Cody Gakpo cross was headed in by Guus Til, who was signed last summer after a season on loan at Feyenoord.
Even After Til had missed an enormous opportunity to head PSV in front minutes earlier, he found space again right before halftime to head PSV in front. Once again, it was a Cody Gakpo cross that assisted the goal.
PSV went into halftime with a 2-1 lead but only 10 minutes into the second half; Ajax had equalized. This time it was Owen Wijndal's turn to make his mark on his competitive debut as he crossed for the Brazilian winger Antony to score.
Steven Bergwijn missed a big chance to put Ajax ahead after 57 minutes, and it proved costly as PSV took the lead nine minutes later. A long-range effort from Armando Obispo went straight at the young Ajax goalkeeper Jay Gorter. Still, he could only palm it into the direction of the onrushing Gakpo, who capitalized on the mistake to put PSV back in front.
Guus Til got his hat trick after 69 minutes. After good work by Ismael Saibari started the PSV attack, Til had a shot from outside the area, the ball seemed to be on its way to an easy save for Gorter, but Mexican midfielder Edson Alvarez got an unfortunate touch on the ball, which resulted in it looping over Gorter to put PSV two goals up.
More drama was still to come as Ajax refused to give up. Just three minutes later, Substitute Mohammed Kudus brought Ajax back to within one goal when he volleyed the ball into the corner of the PSV net from outside the area.
The match was played in a hostile atmosphere, with several scuffles happening throughout. Calvin Bassey seemed to let the atmosphere get the best of him as he was sent off after 78 minutes on his competitive debut for a dangerous tackle on Saibari.
After Joey Veerman failed to put the game to bed minutes earlier, youngster Xavi Simons finished a pass from Veerman to settle the game in PSV's favor by a score of 3-5.
PSV has a big match on Tuesday night in qualifying for this season's edition of the Champions League against AS Monaco. Ajax's next game is their first Eredivisie match of the season next Saturday afternoon against Fortuna Sittard.
