FC Utrecht remains PSV's favorite opponent in Eindhoven

FC Utrecht remains PSV’S favorite opponent in the Philips stadium. The club lost their 26th match in a row in Eindhoven (6-1). Xavi Simons, Guus Til, and the subbed on Anwar El Ghazi scored two each for Ruud van Nistelrooij’s team.

FC Utrecht’s last point in a league game in the Philips stadium was on the 16th of March 1996 (0-0). The team from the Domstad hardly put up a fight against the side that, for the time being, has taken the top spot in the Eredivisie. AZ and Ajax are still to play in the 10th match week and can both pass PSV in the table.

Again PSV were too good for the Utrechters in front of their home support, who, under the new manager Henk Fraser has not been able to match the high ambition of the board. FC Utrecht would love to join the top sides in the Eredivisie but are only mid-table with only 10 points from twelve matches.

PSV started with the same players that started the match against FC Zurich on Thursday in the Europa League (5-0). Noni Madueke is still absent from Ruud van Nistelrooij’s squad. The attacker is almost fully recovered from an ankle injury and may be on the plane to London on Wednesday for the away match against Arsenal in the Europa League.

Jens Toornstra and Jens Booth returned to the team for FC Utrecht. Djevencio van der Kust started at left back and did not look convincing for the first two PSV goals. Simons gave PSV the lead after 8 minutes because van der Kust was defending on the wrong side. Sander van de Streek leveled after 24 minutes after Armando Obispo had misjudged a long ball from Toornstra (1-1). Van Der Kust then lost sight of Guus Til in the 33rd minute (2-1). Til scored again after 38 minutes after a pass from Cody Gakpo.

The manager Fraser, substituted Bas Dost, Modibo Sagnan, and Toornsta, but PSV kept dominating the game. Simons scored his second after 60 minutes. Fortunately for FC Utrecht, PSV slowed down the tempo for the last half an hour, with their eye on a busy period coming up before the World Cup in Qatar. Still, the substitute Anwar El Ghazi showed himself with two goals at the end of the match.