PSV 1 - 0 Ajax
PSV have finished a hectic week, during which three tough fixtures in eight days’ time were scheduled, in style. The Eindhoven outfit clinched a narrow 1-0 win over rivals Ajax in a domestic league game in the Eindhoven Philips Stadium on Sunday afternoon, by which the ruling Dutch champions have achieved three great results this week.
PSV have now taken an eight-point lead over Ajax in the Eredivisie table. A sell-out crowd saw Ajax create only one first half chance, although they dominated the greater part of the first period and moved men forward. Ryan Babel suddenly popped up in the box, but during the one-on-one attacker versus goalkeeper Gomes situation, he fired over the goal. PSV slowed down the pace of the game and hoped be successful with counter attacks, started by, among other players, Arouna Koné and Jefferson Farfán. PSV took the lead on ten minutes. Referee Vink awarded PSV a penalty, when Urby Emanuelson committed a foul on Farfán in the area. Timmy Simons coolly converted from the spot; 1-0. The Belgian took his season’s tally to two goals. Ibrahim Afellay threatened during the closing stages of the first half by firing two shot straight at Ajax keeper Maarten Stekelenburg. Referee Vink took the names of the PSV defenders Michael Reiziger and Alex in the first half.
Ibrahim Afellay
The game developed into a kind of stalemate after the break. Ajax tried to create an opening, but were unable to do so. PSV were well organized and the Ajax forwards could not breach the solid wall of PSV defenders. Steven Pienaar should have been red carded for kicking Ibrahim Afellay, when the young PSV midfielder was down on the ground. It was a gross foul and can undoubtedly be named for the most unsporting behaviour of the week award. Soon afterwards Afellay cleared the ball of the line from a Nigel de Jong effort. Afellay was the victim of another foul and this time Wesley Sneijder was cautioned by the referee. Sneijder also produced a dive in the box defended by Gomes, but the referee rightly waved play on.
Arouna Koné
PSV did not earn any more chances until the final stages. There was a goalmouth scrimmage in front of Stekelenburg, but the ball did not fall to a PSV player. Arouna Koné then had a golden opportunity to wrap things up. The Ivory Coast striker was superbly set up by substitute DaMarcus Beasley, but he missed, with the goal at his mercy. The home crowd started to their feet not much later, when Koné started a fine solo run, but he was thwarted at the very last moment. Ajax could not score the equalizer, so that PSV finished a hectic week in style. They secured maximum spoils by beating two of their nearest rivals on the road to winning the Dutch title.
Goal: 10´ Simons
Eredevisie
Pos. Team Pld Pts
1. PSV 9 22
2. Feyenoord 9 21
3. AZ 9 21
4. Waalwijk 9 18
5. Ajax 9 14
Source: psv.nl
