PSV keep the pressure on Ajax with comfortable 1-3 win against FC Twente

PSV kept the pressure on Ajax by beating FC Twente 1-3 in the Eredivisie on Thursday. The second-placed side is currently six points behind Ajax.

PSV now has an eight-point lead on third-placed Feyenoord, but the Rotterdam side faces PEC Zwolle on Friday night. The two highest-placed sides in the Eredivisie will qualify for the UEFA Champions League phase and will receive around 50 million euros in bonuses and income.

It was the fifth league match in a row that FC Twente failed to win. They are currently fifth in the league table.

The Eindhoven side was not sharp in the first minute, but they dominated the rest of the game. Twente left winger Naci Ünüvar took the ball off of Richard Ledezma and gave Ricky van Wolfswinkel a chance to open the scoring after 58 seconds.

PSV responded quickly to the disappointment. Ivan Persic made it 1-1 after 12 minutes after a good bit of play from Guus Til. It seemed like Ismael Saibari had put the visitors ahead after this, but the video assistant referee saw that his effort had not completely crossed the line by the time Lars Unnerstal saved it.

Twente were fortunate not to concede on two occasions shortly before halftime. First, it was Til who hit the post, and then Unnerstal knocked a long-distance shot from Mauro Junior onto the crossbar.

PSV eventually took the lead in the 53rd minute. Til headed home after a great cross from Perisic. Luuk de Jong made it 1-3 four minutes later.

Malik Tillman was missing from the starting lineup for PSV. Manager Peter Bosz punished the midfielder for being late to the team meeting. The manager also left Ismael Saibari out of the squad for the game against Arsenal last month because the midfielder had been late on several occasions.

This was Tillman’s first offense, hence why he was allowed to travel to Enschede. He was allowed to come on in the 69th minute after Saibari went off with what looked like a serious injury.