PSV - AZ ALKMAR - 2: 3 (1: 0)
Goals: 1: 0 - Farfan (19), 1: 1 - Dembele (50), 1: 2 - Jenner (62), 2: 2 - Koku (65), 2: 3 - Kuvermans (88).
Jokers Van Gala
The first to come together were the teams of Cuman Jr. and van Gal. This season, the Eindhovenites not only never lost in their native Phillips Stadium, but did not even lose a single point there. The previous 11 visitors, it seems, even before the start of the matches, agreed to lose with a minimum score, but Ronald Kuman’s gang did not spare anyone. 40: 5 - this is the total score of the opposition PSV with the guest teams this season. But Louis van Gaal, of course, is free from complexes in relation to the champion and even more so did not intend to be timid in front of Cuman, to whom he himself at one time gave a ticket to coaching life.
It is generally accepted that Dutch coaches are all adherents of the 4-3-3 scheme. Kuman and van Gaal break stereotypes - all season their teams play with a pair of forwards and a quartet of midfielders. And this time, Van Gal even amused the fans with the starting line-up: instead of the injured Stein Schaars, the midfield appeared on the left flank ... central defender Barry Opdam.
The fight began in the usual for the Eindhoven way. In the 20th minute, Jefferson Farfan opened the score after an Australian Kulina pass and inspired partners in the inevitability of a 12th consecutive home victory. Soon, however, 19-year-old striker Moussa Dembélé equalized. In summer, the Alkmarans did not stint and laid out “Willem” for the Belgian teenager as much as 5 million euros - now it’s clear why he so fascinated van Gal. Yes, and another summer rookie AZ, a defensive midfielder Mendes da Silva, also earned praise. He has excellent chances to play on Wednesday against our team.
At the 62nd minute, AZ took the lead. Jenner, a Dutch youth player, took the corner, and Philip Koku suddenly pulled away from the ball flying into him. Goalkeeper PSV Gomez did not have time to react to the ball - in the end we saw the classic “dry sheet”. Kok managed to improve and even the score, but in the sleeve of Van Gal there was one more joker. Danny Couvermans, who, on the threshold of his thirtieth birthday, discovered the gift of a striking gift, did not really have time to recover from his injury, but he needed Van Gal here and now. Losing his recent assistant was not part of his plans.
When it seemed that the match would end in a drawn draw, it was Kuvermans who made the Phillips Stadium audience open their mouths with their goal. After all, PSV did not lose in his field for three years.
AJAKS - FEYENOORD - 4: 1 (3: 1)
Goals: 1: 0 - Sneijder (20), 2: 0 - Sneijder (32), 3: 0 - de Mul (34), 3: 1 - Haristeas (42), 4: 1 - Sneijder (87).
Hunter’s defeat without help
For 11 years we have not seen Edgar Davids in the form of Ajax, but on Sunday afternoon, we finally got this opportunity. Henk ten Kate did not postpone the debut of Pit Bull and included him in the starting lineup for the match with Feyenoord. Fears that the ex-Tottenham player had been acquired in place of Sneijder did not materialize. Wesley not only came out from the first minutes, but also played perhaps his best match of the season. I would like to hope that the phenomenal game of Sneijder will not go unnoticed by Guus Hiddink.
But the other leader of the Vanbasten team - Klaas-Jan Huntelar - will approach the match with the Russians extremely angry and greedy for the goal. Ten Kate decided to teach him a lesson for a number of unsuccessful matches and kept the entire reporting game on the bench.
In addition, ten Kate needed to solve a difficult task - to include both Ryan Babel, who is in luxurious form, and Brazilian rookie Leonardo, who a week ago ensured the team victory in the game with Groningen. The hunter turned out to be superfluous in the end.
In the absence of Hunter, Sneijder took over the sniper functions. Three goals for every taste demonstrated that the arrival of Davids unleashed Wesley’s hands and allowed him to play the Ajax game without much regard for defense. Ryan Babel did not score, but did not give the leadership of Ajax a single reason to regret the decision to extend the contract with him. Particularly impressed by the episode, when a 20-year-old striker on his shoulders dragged Serginho Green, who had stuck in the center of the field, and managed to give an assist. Alexander Anyukov should take into account the mistakes of the Rotterdam defenders.
Erwin Kuman’s team simply didn’t have a chance - by the 34th minute she was burning 0-3, however, to her credit, she continued to resist. Goal of Angelos Haristeas at the gate of former teammates only enraged Amsterdam, who lost interest in the match. A few minutes before the end, the same Sneijder restored the status quo, and at the same time reduced the gap of his team from the leading PSV to five points.
TOURNAMENT POSITION
m | team | AND | AT | N | P | ABOUT | Goals |
one | PSV | 23 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 56 | 58-14 |
2 | Ajax | 23 | sixteen | 3 | four | 51 | 56-24 |
3 | AZ Alkmaar | 23 | 15 | five | 3 | 50 | 63-24 |
four | Twente | 23 | 14 | five | four | 47 | 50-26 |
five | Feyenoord | 23 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 42 | 46-45 |
6 | Heerenveen | 23 | eleven | four | eight | 37 | 41-30 |
7 | Delirium | 23 | ten | five | eight | 35 | 31-33 |
eight | Kind | 23 | 9 | 6 | eight | 33 | 29-31 |
9 | Vitesse | 23 | 9 | four | ten | 31 | 40-37 |
ten | NEK | 23 | eight | 7 | eight | 31 | 24-27 |
eleven | Groningen | 23 | 9 | four | ten | 31 | 35-43 |
12 | Utrecht | 23 | eight | 6 | 9 | thirty | 28-33 |
13 | Sparta | 23 | eight | 2 | 13 | 26 | 28-45 |
14 | Heracles | 23 | four | 7 | 12 | nineteen | 20-44 |
15 | Willem II | 23 | five | 3 | 15 | 18 | 23-52 |
sixteen | Excelsior | 23 | four | four | 15 | sixteen | 29-46 |
17 | Den hag | 23 | 3 | five | 15 | 14 | 25-44 |
18 | Vaalwijk | 23 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 13 | 19-47 |
Bombardiers: Afonso Alves (Heerenveen) - 22, N'Kufo (Twente) - 17, Kuvermans (AZ Alkmar) - 16, Lazović (Vitesse) - 15, Farfan (PSV) - 14.