Football United

PSV romped to a comfortable 4-1 win over N.E.C. in the Eindhoven Philips Stadium on Saturday night. Although PSV may have had the crucial Champions League tie against AS Monaco at the back of their minds, the Nijmegen side showed little inspiration, so that the hosts coasted to an emphatic 4-1 win.

Top-of-the table PSV, with Theo Lucius deputizing for Mark van Bommel, kicked off the game, knowing that N.E.C. had never enjoyed a victory in the Philips Stadium yet. N.E.C. coach Cees Lok fielded three forwards, but they proved to be pretty harmless and did not create any dangerous moments in front of the PSV goal. Phillip Cocu was the architect in midfield and PSV performed another business-like performance. N.E.C. were beaten in a professional way and the players can now fully focus on the AS Monaco clash.

PSV earned a few chances in the opening exchanges. Ji-Sung Park, Johann Vogel and Phillip Cocu threatened, but N.E.C. goalkeeper Dennis Gentenaar saved all their efforts. It did not take long, though, before PSV broke the deadlock. The move that led to the opening goal on 20 minutes was started by Cocu. He set up Park with a superb pass and the South Korean did not fail; 1-0. N.E.C. could not muster the courage for a comeback in the remaining minutes of the first period. They showed no initiative whatsoever and PSV were the only side willing to go forward. PSV doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time, when substitute DaMarcus Beasley, who had been brought on for Vogel, was at the end of a flowing move in which Jefferson Farfán and Park were involved. With a 2-0 half-time score the game was virtually killed off and everything seemed peachy keen.



After the break the game continued in the same vein. Farfán was put clear, but his weak effort gave Gentenaar no problem. Out of the blue, however, N.E.C. pulled one goal back. Said Boutahar scored 2-1 on 55 minutes, following sloppy defending by PSV. It was not the best part of the game; the hosts produced some inaccurate passes. PSV did not dominate for about twenty minutes and N.E.C. got some hope to get a fair result after all. Yet PSV netted a third goal that made sure of victory. Lucius delivered a long ball in the area on 71 minutes. Young-Pyo Lee neatly controlled it and the South Korean found Vennegoor of Hesselink, who took his season’s tally to fourteen goals with a glancing header; 3-1

PSV put the icing on the cake on 77e minutes. André Ooijer was completely unmarked when he rose high to head home a Wilfred Bouma free kick; 4-1.

PSV netted four goals in a home game for the fourth time since the restart after the winter break.

The fans hoped that Robert de Pinho de Souza would be handed his debut now that PSV romped to a comfortable win, but Guus Hiddink did not ask the Brazilian to leave the bench yet. He took off Vennegoor of Hesselink for Gerald Sibon and Ooijer for Kasper Bøgelund ten minutes from time.

N.E.C. realized it was all over and PSV took no risks in view of the Champions League tie against AS Monaco on Tuesday night.

Goals: 21´ Park (1-0), 45´ Beasley (2-0), 55´ Boutahar (2-1), 71´ Vennegoor of Hesselink (3-1), 77´ Ooijer (4-1)

Source: PSV.nl

Dutch First Division

Pos. Team Pld Pts
1. PSV 22 55
2. AZ 22 51
3. Ajax 22 47
4. Feyenoord 22 41
5. Utrecht 22 35