PSV almost certainly out of the Europa League after a 3-0 loss in Seville
PSV had a disastrous night in Seville on Thursday, losing 3-0 to Sevilla. Youssef En Neysiri, Lucas Ocampos, and Nemanja Gudelj scored for the Spanish side.
Ruud van Nistelrooij made a surprising choice by dropping Thorgan Hazard and Johan Bakayoko. Both players were on the bench and replaced in the starting lineup by Guus Til and Ismael Saibari. Nemanja Gudelj started the match for Sevilla. Gudelj played for Ajax, NAC Breda, and AZ in the Netherlands.
PSV had the first chance of the match. Saibari had an opportunity from an acute angle which was saved by Sevilla keeper Bono but fell kindly for Xavi Simons. But the winger lost his footing before he could pull the trigger, and the chance was lost.
Sevilla’s most significant danger came from crosses. Twice an Ivan Rakitic cross nearly resulted in a goal before Sevilla took the lead. Luuk de Jong lost the ball with a lackadaisical pass in the middle of the pitch, which Sevilla took full advantage of as Youssef En-Neysiri converted from a low cross from captain Jesus Navas.
Ruud van Nistelrooij’s side was down by two within five minutes of the second half starting. Lucas Ocampos hit a sublime shot with his left foot on the turn, which hit the inside of the post before going in. The winger returned to Sevilla on the 17th of January after an unsuccessful loan spell at Ajax this season.
Five minutes later, the two ex-Ajax players combined to make it three. Ocampos was at the heart of the attack again, backheeling the ball into the path of Gudelj, who didn’t think twice, smashing the ball into the roof of the net.
Joey Veerman came closest to a goal for PSV in the match when he hit the post after 79 minutes. But it was to no avail for the Eindhovenaren, who barring a miraculous comeback next week at the Philips stadium, will be knocked out of the Europa League. The return leg is next Thursday.
