PSV lost the battle for the Johan Cruijff Shield. In a spectacular match, the match between PSV and Feyenoord ended in a 4-4. Penalties had to decide who would win the first prize of the season. In the end, the Rotterdammers took the penalties better in Eindhoven.
Rarely has a football season started as nicely as on Sunday evening in the Philips Stadium. The battle for the Johan Cruijff Shield between PSV and Feyenoord was anything but good, but more than attractive to watch.
The spectacle erupted after ten minutes. Noa Lang gave PSV a 1-0 lead after a good through ball from Johan Bakayoko and preparatory work from Jerdy Schouten. PSV played well in attack, but were very vulnerable at the back.
Personnel problems at the back
This resulted in Feyenoord being able to strike twice within a few minutes. Fredrik Oppegard made a mistake and was awarded a penalty. That gift was unwrapped by Santiago Gimenez. Not much later it was Bart Nieuwkoop on a pass from the striker who put Feyenoord in the lead. PSV’s defence also looked very poor there.
PSV is especially vulnerable there because of the many injuries and the lack of choices. In the center of defense were two right-footed players in the person of midfielder Jerdy Schouten and new signing Ryan Flamingo. Olivier Boscagli, an important pawn in Peter Bosz’s team, is injured.
Coming a kwel
PSV fought their way back into the game through captain Luuk de Jong. It was a piece of cake for the striker to convert a cross from Malik Tillman early in the second half. But even after that, PSV had trouble at the back. Gimenez was able to go one-on-one with Walter Benítez after 53 minutes. The goalkeeper had to make a foul to stop the attacker, so the ball went to the spot again.
Gimenez was able to use the next gift from PSV again and put Feyenoord back in the lead. Ten minutes later it was already equal again. Substitute Guus Til got the ball out of the scramble and equalized: 3-3.
No red for Wellenreuther
The spectacle was not over yet and neither was the defensive bungling. A free kick from Feyenoord was handled very poorly by PSV, allowing Antoni Milambo to shoot in the 4-3. There were still twenty minutes to play.
It didn’t stop at 4-3, because the other side also had a defensive back. Goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther made a foul in the sixteen and caused a penalty. The goalkeeper was spared. He already had a yellow card and, unlike his colleague on the other side, did not receive a yellow card for his foul. Since Feyenoord had already made five substitutions, a player should have stepped into the goal. The cup winner was spared that, but the 4-4 did fall. Luuk de Jong converted the penalty.
It would not be the last penalty, as the final score was 4-4 and penalties had to decide. Bakayoko and Til missed for PSV. Feyenoord shot all the penalties, which meant that the Rotterdammers won the first prize of the season.
