PSV breeze past FC Zurich in the Europa League
PSV Eindhoven picked up a comfortable win over FC Zurich in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. Ruud van Nistelrooij’s team won 5-1 due to goals from Yorbe Vertessen, Xavi Simons and Cody Gakpo.
PSV was trying to bounce back from a disappointing loss at the weekend against Cambuur. FC Zurich has also been struggling lately and is bottom of the Swiss league with only three points from nine games.
PSV took the lead after 10 minutes. Centre-back Armando Obispo played a long ball behind the Zurich defence to send Yorbe Vertessen through, who made no mistake volleying his shot into the bottom corner.
Vertessen doubled his tally five minutes later. After receiving the ball from a Zurich defender, he knocked the ball into space, winning the sprint battle easily to then roll the ball into the far corner past the Zurich keeper.
Ruud van Nistelrooy's men kept scoring, with Cody Gakpo getting on the score sheet after 21 minutes. The PSV captain dribbled past one player before hitting one into the far corner from the edge of the area.
PSV kept dominating the hapless Swiss side as Xavi Simons scored his first goal in Europe for PSV after a one-two with Gakpo allowed him to poke the ball into the net.
Gakpo made it five after 55 minutes with a beautiful curler from the edge of the area. It was another one-two from the 23-year-old winger which created the goal. This time he received the ball from Joey Veerman and hit an unstoppable shot past Zurich goalkeeper Yanick Brecher.
PSV played out the rest of the game with ease, trying to spare their energy for this weekend's fixture against Heerenveen away, but they did, however, concede a consolation goal. An unfortunate slip by Guus Til gave Zurich the chance to cross, which was headed in by the subbed on Jonathan Okita.
PSV are now third in their group behind Arsenal and Bodø/Glimt. Arsenal has six points, while PSV has four points after two games played with Bodø/Glimt also on four points, having played a match more.
