Despite Gaston Pereiro being sent off PSV Eindhoven are still in with a chance of reaching the Quarter finals of the Champions League after a 0-0 draw with Atletico Madrid.
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In his pre-match press conference Phillip Cocu stressed the importance of keeping a clean sheet, but the coach did not set up his side to defend and the high defensive line deployed by PSV at the start caused problems for the home side during the first half. Atletico found success with long balls over the top on several occasions during the first half and only a goal-line clearance by Jeffrey Bruma and a great one handed save by Jeroen Zoet denied the Spanish side an opener.
Without Luuk de Jong up front, PSV’s attack looked limp, but before the break they were presented with an excellent chance to take the lead. A scramble in the box led to several blocks from the Atletico backline and eventually Davy Propper’s close range shot was pushed away by Oblak.
With Atletico failing to find the breakthrough PSV grew in confidence through the play of Propper and especially Jetro Willems, who’s cross nearly caused Koke to divert the ball into his own net just before the hour mark.
The game was heading for a end to end finish, but on 68 minutes the already booked Gaston Pereiro was adjudged to have led with an arm in a challenge with Diego Godin, and the referee showed the PSV midfielder his second yellow card. As expected Atletico poured forward in search of the winner, but Zoet and the PSV defence stayed strong and held out.
Just before the end PSV could have even sneaked an unlikely win, but substitute Maxime Lestienne fired his first time volley over the bar.
PSV now head to Madrid in two weeks time with the clean sheet Cocu craved, and with Luuk de Jong returning an unlikely place in the quarter finals is still within reach.
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Although I applaud PSV for keeping a clean sheet the only good player was Bruma. Locadia, Narsingh Perreio and V Ginkel did very little going forward. Its a good result because at 11 men they looked the team that was going to concede first but at 10 men they held on. Willems looks fat and slow. Hopefully if De Jong can play the return leg he can demand balls from crosses and is lethal as for the rest I wonder if they were overwhelmed. Like I said the only player that looked confident and played that way was Bruma. Hopefully a more confident team shows up in Madrid in three weeks. Atletico to me are really not very good on attack and wait for mistakes. PSV have the talent but do they have the heart which has gone missing in Dutch football. Still in it. Now go for it. 1-1 draw will do it. Score first and defend.