PSV Eindhoven may have been missing key players but they condemned Ajax to their first defeat of the season after a 2-1 win in the Amsterdam Arena.
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PSV went into the game five points behind Ajax in the table and had to do without top scorer Luuk de Jong and Maxime Lestienne, who missed the game after a family issue. In came Gaston Pereiro for his first start for PSV, and after seven minutes the Uruguayan made an instant impact, playing a one-two with Jurgen Locadia before bursting through Ajax’s defence and lifting the ball past Jasper Cillessen to give the visitors the lead.
However Ajax struck back three minutes later with Amin Younes cutting inside before sending a curling strike past Jeroen Zoet and into the corner.
After the end to end opening PSV started to gain control of the game through the returning Andres Guardado, and the Mexican set up Locadia for a great chance five minutes before the break, but after rounding Cillessen the striker’s shot was cleared on the line by Joel Veltman. From the resulting corner Jeffrey Bruma’s header was cleared on the line by Riechedy Bazoer.
PSV’s dominance continued into the second half with Davy Propper striking the post with a strike from the edge of the area before Luciano Narsingh saw a low strike saved by Cillessen.
Frustrated by his side’s lack of control Frank de Boer decided to take off winger Younes and put in an extra midfielder with Thulani Serero taking to the field. The change lifted Ajax and after 70 minutes Viktor Fischer created their best chance of the half with a fierce strike from outside the box which struck the post.
However it was to be PSV’s day with Hendrix finding Pereiro in the box, and the Uruguayan cut inside Riedewald before curling effort past Cillessen to seal victory for the champions.
PSV now climb back to fourth in the table, but now they are only two points away from leaders Ajax.
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