PSV ramp up the pressure on Ajax with dramatic 2-3 win in Rotterdam against Feyenoord
PSV completed an incredible second-half comeback away to Feyenoord on Sunday, coming back from 2-0 down to win 2-3. A 99th-minute winner from Noa Lang resulted in the pressure being ramped up on Ajax, who face NEC Nijmegen at home just 15 minutes after the game, with the gap currently at just one point.
The game had huge connotations for the Eredivisie title race. If Feyenoord were to win, then Ajax would only need to beat NEC Nijmegen later on Sunday to be crowned Eredivisie champions. Feyenoord, who are Ajax’s arch-rivals, needed to win in their battle for a Champions League place with FC Utrecht, who were playing a tough game away to FC Twente at the same time.
There were a few surprises in the starting line-ups. Robin van Persie decided to go with Gijs Smal in the left-back position for Feyenoord. The Rotterdammers were on a fantastic run of form in which they scored 24 goals in a seven-game-long winning streak. PSV had closed the gap to league leaders Ajax to four points after the Amsterdammers failed to win for two games, while PSV won their last four.
Feyenoord took the lead in the fifth minute of the game. A long ball from goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther was well read by Igor Paixao, who continued his fantastic run of form by chipping the ball over Walter Benitez and into the PSV goal.
It got even better for Feyenoord and, in this case, Ajax, when Feyenoord made it 2-0 within the first ten minutes of the game. Anis Hadj Moussa played a pass into space for right back Givairo Read, whose shot went under Benitez and into the goal via the inside of the post.
PSV’s weaknesses at full back were being exposed by the two Feyenoord wingers. Peter Bosz clearly felt the same, as he decided to substitute right back Richard Ledezma for Sergino Dest after just 25 minutes played.
Feyenoord came out for the second half like a different side, and PSV took advantage. Ivan Perisic profited from some clumsy defending from the home team to smash the ball high into the far corner, reducing the lead to one goal.
Bosz’s side should have leveled the game two minutes later. A fantastic pass by Oliver Boscagli was well controlled by Luuk de Jong, putting him one-on-one with the Feyenoord keeper, but his effort went high and wide of the goal.
The Rotterdammers were doing nothing to trouble PSV, and it eventually led to the 2-2 in the 74th minute. Noa Lang, who had been booed by the Feyenoord crowd throughout the game, cut inside before his shot went under Wellenreuther and into the goal.
It was one-way traffic with PSV continuing to create significant chances. A cross by Joey Veerman should have been headed in by Malik Tillman, but the midfielder got the header all wrong, sending it far wide of the goal.
Lang should have given PSV the lead in the 85th minute. Great build-up play from the back resulted in the winger having an easy chance to score, but he hit the shot straight at Wellenreuther.
It got worse for Feyenoord when Read got sent off in the 90th minute. The young full-back lost the ball to Lang before taking him down as the last man.
The game was supposed to last 96 minutes, but an offside from De Jong resulted in a lengthy VAR review, which caused the game to go on till the 100th minute, and this proved just about too long for Feyenoord as Lang got a dramatic late winner in the 99th minute. The winger got in between the Feyenoord defenders and placed the ball into the far corner after he was found by Mauro Junior.
The goal looked to have a significant impact on the Ajax fans who had watched the game on their phones and outside the Johan Cruijff ArenA. The Amsterdammers faced NEC right after the game, while PSV fans celebrated the improbable victory in De Kuip.
