PSV Eindhoven will be frustrated to miss out on the chance to equal with league leaders Feyenoord with a draw at home to Sparta Rotterdam.
Two late penalty shouts in the second-half will be the main talking points especially when the referee stuck to his original decision of no foul on full-back Jordan Teze despite VAR recommending another look.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side start the new year and post-World Cup life without Cody Gakpo as there top scorer and provider starts his new life at Liverpool after completing his big-money move to the Premier League side a couple of weeks ago.
Eindhoven started Anwar El Ghazi on the wing Gakpo once played but will be left frustrated by his performance and gameplan with the main focus moved to the right-wing to Noni Madueke who did not really do a lot.
PSV EINDHOVEN
Walter Benitez, 7
Philipp Max, 6
Jordan Teze, 6
Jarrad Branthwaite, 7
Armando Obispo, 7
Xavi Simons, 6
Ibrahim Sangare, 7 – A decent performance in the midfield and certainly stepped up in the game when Veerman was substituted in the second-half. He will be frustrated he was not awarded a penalty late into injury-time but the referee did make the right decision there.
Joey Veerman, 7 – Easily PSV’s best player today and you can sympathise with his frustration to be substituted early in the second-half. He seemed to read his opponent’s game well with a number of key tackles and interceptions as well as supporting his side in attack. Should have stayed on.
Anwar El Ghazi, 6 – He fills the gap left by Cody Gakpo – for the short-term anyway – and will be frustrated he was not given much opportunity on the left-wing. Van Nistelrooy seemed to focus the gameplay down the right for Madueke but whenever El Ghazi had the ball out wide, he was a solid threat. Should have been the main point in attack.
Noni Madueke, 6 – So many chances gifted to Madueke as the winger looked to step up his game as Van Nistelrooy looks for answers to where they will fill the gap left by Gakpo. He had plenty of chances but equally got frustrated very easily – deserved to get his yellow card.
Luuk de Jong, 6 – With Gakpo gone, De Jong will be the first answer to takeover goalscoring duties but the captain did not have the most exciting of matches. The striker was outmarked for most of the match and really did not look like trying to frustrate the defence whenever the challenge occurred. Main chance came in the air which seemed to suggest he had the upper advantage but was not played as a target man tonight.
Substitutes
Marco van Ginkel, 6
Erick Gutierrez, 6
Guus Til, 6
SPARTA ROTTERDAM
Nick Olij, 7 – Looked solid throughout and done well to deny PSV’s efforts at goal. Did not put a foot wrong but equally was not challenged much by PSV’s attack. Will be very happy to grab the clean sheet.
Shurandy Sambo, 6
Adil Auassar, 6
Michael Pinto, 6
Bart Vriends, 6
Jeremy Van Mullem, 6
Arno Verschueren, 6
Joshua Kitolano, 6
Sven Mijnans, 6
Tobias Lauritsen, 7 – Perhaps the stand out performance in a very bland match from the hosts. He was very good in the air winning 11 aerial duels – more than anyone else in the match.
Vito van Crooij, 6
Substitutes
Aaron Meijers, N/A
Arno Verschueren, N/A
GBeNeFNÂ |Â Tom Phillips
