PSV Eindhoven have started the Champions League group stage with a 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in a game which was marred by a number of poor refereeing decisions.
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Englishman Martin Atkinson was in charge for the game in the Philips Stadion and took centre stage in a first half full of poor decisions.
After only five minutes, PSV found the net as Luuk de Jong swooped to head in after a knockdown by Hector Moreno. However, to the disbelief of the crowd, Atkinson disallowed the goal with the referee judging the defender to have pushed his marker in the build up.
PSV then saw a good shout for a penalty waved away by Atkinson before Atletico Madrid took the lead in controversial circumastances on 41 minutes. Davy Propper went down in the box with a head wound after a header by Jose Gimenez but play was allowed to continue and Saul sent a spectacular volley past Jeroen Zoet from the edge of the box.
Moments later PSV were handed the perfect chance to equalise when Atkinson pointed to the spot after a questionable foul on Luciano Narsingh in the box. However, PSV’s poor form from the spot continued as Andres Guardado saw his penalty saved by Jan Oblak.
Both sides created chances early in the second half, with Kevin Gameiro firing into the side netting for the visitors while Jorrit Hendrix sent a good chance over the bar.
On 78 minutes the crowd and PSV players were once again left incensed by the officials when Diego Godin wasn’t penalised for a handball in the box as he challenged for a header with De Jong. In the final moments Gaston Pereiro was denied by Oblak as Atletico Madrid held on for a slender win.
Next up for PSV is a trip to Russia on the 28th of September for a tie with Rostov, who were beaten 5-0 by Bayern Munich in the group’s other tie.
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