After deserved victory at PSV, insignificant and cunning Ajax seems to be sure of the national title

Discipline and patience made the difference in a confrontation between having and had to be patient on Sunday. Where PSV hoped to give the battle for the national title in a direct confrontation with leader Ajax, the Amsterdammers showed themselves inexpiable and cunning in Eindhoven: 2-0. Because of that result, Ajax’s lead has now risen to nine points, and an upcoming championship certainly seems to be.

For PSV it was an afternoon of ‘Do-Or-Die’, coach Peter Bosz said in the run-up to the meeting. With a defeat « it becomes very difficult ». The maths of data specialist Opta confirmed that: the company carried out ten thousand computer simulations of the title chances for a victory, defeat and a draw in Eindhoven. If Ajax won, it also became national champion in 97 percent of the cases.

So PSV must, Sunday in a noisy and light -touched Philips Stadium. For Ajax, on the other hand, a victory would at most be a nice windfall. Even with a draw or defeat, the Amsterdammers ended up in the maths of Opta in the vast majority of cases as national champions. Or as trainer Francesco Farioli summarized on Friday afternoon: « Winning, right or losing, I don’t think the match in Eindhoven will decide. »

Sloppy and nervous

That difference is immediately visible on Sunday. From the first minutes with forces, PSV throws the visitors immediately, as in December also succeeded against Feyenoord. The team of Bosz is constantly chasing the leader and the defenders and midfielders of PSV are knocking over their direct opponent. But despite that stifling pressure, PSV is also sloppy, nervous, so that great opportunities are not forthcoming.

Ajax is waiting in that phase, in a difficult -to -penetrating defensive block, with the attackers sometimes only about twenty -meter for the defense. Only as soon as PSV brings the ball to half of the Amsterdammers, the team of Farioli is fiercely busy, waiting for an error from the opponent, but also in the knowledge that the Eindhoven team cannot possibly maintain this merciless pace.

The frenzy lasts about twenty minutes, then the pace drops and Ajax gets opportunities to build. Then the vulnerability of PSV becomes visible: other than usual, the home team does not play one-to-one in the back. The result is that PSV higher on the field is always too short when the Ajax tries to put pressure on, something that the reigning national champion also broke up at the first meeting in Amsterdam, early November (3-2).

Again it turns out how risky that is. As soon as Ajax has the ball in the back, Guus Til continues on the defenders. The idea is that midfielder Ismael Saibari takes over than the man from Til, and defender Olivier Boscagli that of Saibari. But because Boscagli hesitates, Saibari always has to choose between two opponents, so that Ajax can easily play under pressure and build up to the Eindhoven goal.

Step too late

It is as if Peter Bosz already sees it going wrong before it actually happens. After half an hour he is wildly gesturing along the line, annoyed that his players are always a step too late. Just a little less fierce, when switching from defense to attack and vice versa. After half an hour, that first yields a free head opportunity for Ajax striker Brian Brobbey, and immediately afterwards a promising free kick, right in front of goal.

The shot that follows is weak, shoots straight up through the wall. But it is precisely then Ajax that shows itself: while six PSVs hesitate between getting out of the ball and defending their husbands, Lucas Rosa can head the ball unhindered over them, towards the released Davy Klaassen. He assumes and shoots from the turn.

For Bosz that is reason to change the midfield. The not -visible Joey Veerman goes to the side in the break, his place as an inspector is taken by the left back Mauro Junior. Bosz Malik Tillman, in the first half of the season, also brings one of the best players at PSV, but then injured for months.

It now fits more to look at below than upwards

That change seems to have an effect. After the break, PSV is more for a more forceful, it is possible to increase the pressure on Ajax and to combine through the Amsterdam Blok. But just like in the first half, it is too sloppy, and it seems waiting for Ajax to benefit from a Eindhoven miss. It follows after a good hour, when PSV defender Tyrell Malacia slides after a long ball. Bertrand Traoré, just before that came into the team, cuts in and turns the ball in the far corner: 0-2.

It is a thump that PSV mentally no longer comes over: all the hope that was there has disappeared in a flash of thirteen seconds. « It now fits more to look at below than upstairs, » Bosz will say about it afterwards. Not Ajax is now the most important opponent in the ranking, but number three FC Utrecht, which also has a chance in second place, and therefore direct placement for the Champions League.

Ajax coach Fararoli saw it differently. He refused again to talk about the championship, as he has been doing all season, because in his eyes only the next game counts. « Nothing has changed for us, » he said afterwards. « The only difference is that there were still 24 points to play for, and now 21. »

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