Ten years after their last cup win, PSV won the Dutch Cup for the tenth time – and after going behind against arch-rivals Ajax Amsterdam, of all teams. Roger Schmidt will thus definitely bid farewell to Eindhoven with a title.
With the burden of their European Cup exit on their shoulders, PSV travelled to Rotterdam for the cup final against arch-rivals Ajax. Coach Roger Schmidt fielded the same team at the De Kuip as in the 2-1 defeat to Leicester in the Conference League quarter-finals – Götze and Max were consequently in the starting eleven – and then saw his charges put the Eredivisie leaders under pressure with gritty tackling.
Ajax, who surprised coach Erik ten Hag by not including striker Haller, struggled at first, but took the lead after 23 minutes: Gravenberch dynamically pushed forward on the left and, after a double pass with Klaassen, scored from 16 metres into the corner for 1:0.
The goal had an impact. PSV were impressed, had a lot of trouble in the following and were at times no more than sparring partners for the Amsterdam team, who controlled the ball and the opponent, but did not follow up. Mazraoui was also unlucky to have his 18-metre shot into the left corner, which was well worth seeing, conceded again by the VAR for a wafer-thin offside position by Tadic in the build-up (44th).
PSV come out of the break furious – Tadic in post trouble
This took its revenge after the interval when PSV scored twice within 90 seconds: first Sangaré headed a free-kick cross to Gutierrez (48th), then Gakpo beautifully finished off a counter-attack (50th) – and suddenly it was 2-1 to Eindhoven.
Ajax were challenged and now had to chase a deficit to avoid their first ever cup defeat against PSV. The Dutch league leaders, who had won both league matches against Eindhoven, continued to struggle with a lack of finishing luck: Tadic hit the right post from an acute angle (59th), while Mvogo made a superb save from Berghuis (74th).
Ajax, with Haller coming on for the last 20 minutes, did not deny their will, but they kept getting bogged down. PSV defended themselves cleverly, but did not play their counter-attacking chances well and missed the decisive goal – Bruma missed (79th), Vertessen hit the crossbar (87th). So it remained exciting, but nothing more. PSV Eindhoven managed to hold on for the win and, after a ten-year wait, were able to celebrate their first cup victory.
Now both teams are looking towards the championship, where PSV are four points behind Ajax with five matchdays to go. On Saturday, a win at Cambuur is therefore a must (9pm), Ajax are challenged a few hours earlier in Nijmegen (18.30).
