PSV beat Sturm Graz 4-1 in Champions League qualifier
PSV beat Sturm Graz 4-1 on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier. Isaac Babadi, Luuk de Jong, and Ibrahim Sangare got the goals to put Peter Bosz's side in pole position to advance to the next round.
Peter Bosz named an unchanged side compared to the side that faced Feyenoord in the Johan Cruijff Schaal on Friday. PSV won that match 1-0 after a goal from Noa Lang. Dutch goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen was starting in between the sticks for Sturm Graz.
PSV made the perfect start in the Phillips stadium scoring after just three minutes played. Left-back Patrick van Aanholt got forward and crossed the ball to Johan Bakayoko. The winger tried to find space to shoot before playing it to the 18-year-old Isaac Babadi. The midfielder had to shoot quickly, which he did successfully, placing the ball perfectly into the corner.
It got better for PSV in the 22nd minute when they made it 2-0. Babadi played the ball deep to Bakayoko, who got there before the defender, avoiding his slide tackle in the process before crossing it to Luuk de Jong, who did what he has done for his whole career, and that is head it into the net.
The rain kept falling in Eindhoven, but so did the goals as de Jong got his 132nd goal in PSV colors. Noa Lang got past his man before firing at goal. Scherpen’s pushed the ball straight to de Jong, who did not hesitate to volley it into the corner.
The Austrian opponents did get one back after 39 minutes. A corner from Otar Kiteishvili was headed home by Jan Gorenc Stankovic to reduce the deficit to two goals.
Another brilliant attack from PSV should have resulted in the fourth goal when Bakayoko beat his man with a beautiful bit of skill before finding Lang in the box. The young winger laid the ball off to the onrushing van Aanholt, who only needed to put the ball home, but he blasted it wide.
Lang created another opportunity shortly after threading a ball to de Jong, but Scherpen saved his chip. PSV eventually did get the fourth goal they deserved through Sangare. Joey Veerman took the free kick and put a great cross into the box, which Sangare headed brilliantly into the far corner.
PSV faces FC Utrecht on Saturday before traveling to Austria for the return leg against Sturm Graz next Tuesday.
