PSV go nine points clear at the top as relegation fight tightens below
PSV Eindhoven extended its lead at the top of the Eredivisie table to nine points this weekend. Peter Bosz picked up three points in a spectacular 4-3 win against Heracles Almelo on Saturday, and saw their nearest title challengers, Feyenoord, lose 2-0 to Ajax.
Although Heracles supporters will be happy with the effort their team made at the Philips Stadium, the feeling will have dampened, with both teams under them in the table, NAC Breda and Telstar, gaining a point in their matches against FC Utrecht and NEC, respectively. The bottom sides are agonizingly close at the bottom of the table.
The league leaders scored the first goal of the game in the 19th minute. Guus Til was brought down in the penalty area for a penalty, which Ricardo Pepi converted, despite Heracles keeper Timo Jansink getting a hand on it.
A penalty also resulted in a 2-0 for PSV, with the supporters cheering the goal with the feeling that it was set to be an easy night. The referee pointed to the spot for a handball in the Heracles box. This time, Ismael Saibari took and scored the penalty.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the third and final goal of the first half also came from the penalty spot. The referee awarded a penalty to Heracles for handball, and Jizz Hornkamp calmly converted it to bring the deficit back to one goal going into halftime.
Heracles equalized on the hour mark when Mario Engels and Luka Kulenovic, who had both only just been brought on by Ernest Faber, combined to level the game and silence the Philips stadium.
The home side retook the lead through a shot from distance by Joey Veerman. The goal will go down as an error for Jansink, who likely should have made a comfortable save.
But this lead did not last long as Heracles kept coming, Couhaib Driouech lost the ball cheaply, and this was punished by Hornkamp, who scored his 17th goal of 2025, which is more than any other player in Heracles’ history, according to Opta.
PSV got their winning goal in the 81st minute. Sergino Dest did very well to beat his man and find Til in the box, who continued his knack for scoring vital goals with a placed finish with his weaker left foot.
Both sides will now focus on their KNVB Cup games midweek, as they both face amateur sides, with PSV playing against GVVV and Heracles hosting Hoogeveen.
Heracles remain in the play-off spot for relegation, although the two teams below them gained points. Bottom of the table, Telstar picked up a good point on Saturday against NEC Nijmegen. Jeff Hardeveld scored twice in the BUKO Stadium for the home team to earn a 2-2 draw against the third-placed side. Bryan Linssen and Kento Shiogai scored for the visitors.
The other team in the relegation spots, NAC Breda, was unable to hold on to their lead against FC Utrecht. Raul Paula had given NAC the lead after a pre-worked corner routine worked efficiently. This was undone by an equalizer from Dani de Wit in the 26th minute, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
Heracles is two points behind FC Volendam and Excelsior, who both lost their games this weekend.
