PSV win 4-1 to keep pressure on Ajax; AZ beat Go Ahead Eagles in chaotic game
An Ivan Perisic hat trick helped PSV defeat Fortuna Sittard 4-1 at home on Saturday. The win for Peter Bosz's side means that the gap to league leaders is four points with three games remaining in the Eredivisie season. Feyenoord also scored four against Heracles, and AZ beat Go Ahead Eagles 0-3 in a controversy-filled match.
Perisic got the first goal of the game after 15 minutes when he was on hand to smash the ball home from close range. The Croatian got his second in the 40th minute after a poor error in the Fortuna defence gave him an easy finish.
PSV have not been at their best this season. Bosz’s side lost just once last season on their way to winning the Eredivisie season but have struggled this season, giving themselves a tough ask to catch Ajax. However, their form has picked up in recent weeks, and the third PSV goal looked like the PSV of old. Quick interplay resulted in Guus Til being sent through on the wing, and his hard low pass across the box was absolutely perfect for Noa Lang to tap home and get on the scoresheet.
A nice finish from Jasper Dahlhaus got a goal back for Fortuna to make it 3-1 before Perisic got his third goal of the game with another simple finish.
PSV was not the only Eredivisie team to score four goals or more during the weekend. Feyenoord continued their impressive run of form under manager Robin Van Persie with a 1-4 win away to Heracles Almelo. Anis Hadj Moussa (2), Hwang In beom, and Givaro Read scored the goals for the Rotterdammers.
Another match with a significant scoreline is FC Groningen, who scored six goals against RKC Waalwijk. Waalwijk is currently bottom of the league and faces an uphill battle to stay in the division after the drubbing.
The most noteworthy match was at the Adelaarshorst. Go Ahead Eagles faced AZ Alkmaar in what is a rematch of the hotly contested KNVB Cup final a month ago, which Go Ahead won on penalties.
The cup final was clearly still on the mind of many players as the match turned into a controversial affair with a red card and what looked like racism from a Go Ahead Eagles supporter.
AZ got their revenge, winning 0-3. Wouter Goes, AZ’s young center-back, who is becoming much discussed due to his on-pitch antics, played a central role in the game. The center-back made it 0-2 for Maarten Martens's side after Gerrit Nauber had scored an own goal to give AZ the lead in the 16th minute.
Jayden Addai got a third goal for AZ Alkmaar before Goes, who had his share off on pitch battles with Go Ahead Eagles during the cup final, was then sent off in the 92nd minute for what referee Bas Nijhuis felt was a dangerous tackle.
The game will continue to be in the news as footage emerged after the match of a Go Ahead Eagles fan making a monkey gesture towards AZ winger Ibrahim Sadiq. Thus far, there has been no response to the footage from either club or the Dutch football association, KNVB.
