PSV hammer Ajax 3-0 in Eindhoven
PSV beat Ajax 3-0 in the Philips Stadion on Sunday to put themselves three points ahead of Ajax in the race for the second spot in the Eredivisie. Luuk de Jong and Xavi Simons got the goals for the Eindhovenaren, who beat Ajax for the third time this season.
Both sides had 72 points before the match and are targeting second place in the Eredivisie, which guarantees Champions League qualification. John Heitinga brought in Calvin Bassey to replace the suspended Edson Alvarez. Ibrahim Sangare returned to the side for PSV after a lengthy injury layoff. He was preferred to Erick Guttierez, who started in his absence.
PSV should have already taken the lead through Guus Til earlier on, but Luuk de Jong succeeded after 13 minutes. Johan Bakayoko got to the byline before crossing for the veteran striker, who headed home. It was the eighth goal in his last nine matches for de Jong.
Ajax came into the match more just before halftime as Kenneth Taylor could not finish off a great team attack from the Amsterdammers. A short while later, ex-PSV winger Steven Bergwijn hit his shot wide as the Eindhoven side went into the break with the lead.
However, the second half continued in the same manner as the first half hour, with PSV finding space on the counter. Ajax was lucky to escape when Bakayoko missed a big chance, and their luck was out in the 53rd minute when goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli took out Xavi Simons for a penalty. Simons took it himself and scored to make it 2-0.
The match was then abandoned for ten minutes as a PSV fan threw a cup of beer onto the pitch. Taylor’s finishing let him down again shortly after the restart when the young midfielder hit the post after a mistake by Andre Ramalho.
PSV made it three after 78 minutes, and again it was Xavi Simons who got the better of his opponent Jorge Sanchez like he had done a lot in this match before crossing for de Jong, who got a slight touch before Florian Grillitsch deflected it into his own goal.
Ismael Saibari missed a huge chance to make it four in the fourth minute of injury time after a magnificent pass by Sangare. Saibari’s attempt was given as a goal kick, but replies showed that Rulli got a vital touch to stop it from going in.
PSV and Ajax are set to meet again in the KNVB Cup final next Sunday. Both sides have six matches left this season in the league.
