Malik Tillman gave PSV a taste of what they can expect this season with a stunning debut, while Justin Che notched an assist as Den Haag took advantage of poor corner defending in their big win.
RKC Waalwijk 0 – 4 PSV Eindhoven
Sergiño Dest once again started at right back for PSV Eindhoven on Saturday night, however Malik Tillman was the American to grab headlines as he scored the team’s fourth goal during his second-half substitute appearance in the big win over Waalwijk.
Ricardo Pepi also made his fist Eredivisie appearance of the season in the victory.
Dest was solid on the right side, completing 41 out of his 48 passes, taking one shot while setting up one chance, winning five of his six dribble attempts, striking nine passes into the attacking final-third, winning half of his 12 duels, accurately hitting two out of his combined long balls and crosses, losing the ball four times, and committing one foul.
While they were largely stifled for much of the first half, PSV finally got the scoring underway shortly before the break, and never looked back.
In the 44th minute, Patrick van Aanholt hit Luuk de Jong just inside the area with his back towards goal. Instead of trying to make the turn, the 33 year-old captain tapped it back to Joey Veerman, who settled the ball, took a few steps to his right, and unleashed a low shot back to the lower left corner that caught the keeper lunging in the opposite direction.
Just before the 52-minute mark, Dest received the ball at the midfield stripe and proceeded to charge forward towards goal, overpowering three defenders in the process. His final shot was, however, well over the crossbar.
Moments late, Guus Till stole the ball from a defender within Waalwijk’s area, and de Jong was in perfect position to tap it over to Noa Lang on the left for a side-footed finish into the open net, giving PSV the 2-0 lead.
De Jong finally scored one of his own in the 64th minute, opportunistically putting himself in perfect position to slide in Johan Bakayoko’s headed pass from the top edge of the six-yard box.
In the 72nd minute, PSV head coach peter Bosz made a triple-switch, finally giving Tillman and Pepi their Eredivisie debuts with their new team. In addition to his late goal, Tillman completed all but two of his 17 passes while setting up an additional chance after entering the game. Joining his teammate on the field as a part of a triple-substitute, Pepi also took one shot, forcing a save, and set up another chance.
Tillman’s goal came with four minutes remaining in regulation, and was a scrappy, persistent effort. Pulling down a deep pass that Veerman hit from the midfield, Tillman fought off two Waalwijk defenders on his way into the right side of the area, and poked a low, tightly-angled shot past the keeper for the final 4-0 scoreline.
With a perfect three wins in three games, PSV only trail first-place AZ Alkmaar by way of total goals scored. With all three of the team’s Americans reporting for national team duty, they will return to action on September 16 with a home game against Philippe Sandler and NEC Nijmegen.
ADO Den Haag 4 – 1 Jong AZ
Justin Che made an impact in his second game with ADO Den Haag in Eerste Divisie action, notching up an assist on his team’s fourth goal while generally looking strong in their 4-1 blowout win over Jong AZ.
Joshua Pynadath is still not yet in action for Jong AZ.
Che played 78 minutes overall, hitting a pair of on-target shots, setting up two chances, completing 17 out of 28 passes, making 60 touches, winning half of his four attempted dribbles, winning three out of five tackles and winning nine out of 17 duels.
While AZ did strike first after Jayden Addai broke behind the central defenders and beat the keeper with a low strike to the right, the Storks won the game on the back of a four-goal flurry in a space of 30 minutes.
Jort van der Sande pulled the hosts even in the 24th minute when he headed in a corner from Daryl van Mieghem, then Matteo Waem gave them the lead in the 40th minute with a deflected strike following a corner that the AZ defenders could not safely clear.
Van der Sande struck again four minutes past the break, again with poor defending on a corner being the culprit, as the ball rattled around just long enough for him to force it over the line from inches out.
Then Waem added his second in the 54th minute, with Che heading on a near-post corner to the opposite side of goal, and the Belgian central defender having all the space he needed to loop his header just inside the left upright.
The big victory leaves Den Haag in eighth place, and they will be back on the field on Friday with a visit to relegated Groningen.
Notes
Philippe Sandler returned to the NEC Nijmegen lineup, starting and playing 63 minutes in central defense in their 1-1 road draw at Sparta Rotterdam on Friday. Agustin Anello was a 77th-minute substitute for the hosts in their late push for the equalizer, and took three shots during his limited time on the field.
Amidst rumors of a summer departure in the final days before the close of the summer transfer window, Anthony Fontana did not suit up for PEC Zwolle on Saturday for their 2-1 road win over Almere City.
Kik Pierie is still out with injury and missed Excelsior Rotterdam’s 3-1 road loss at promoted Heracles on Saturday.
Taylor Booth is still not yet back from his injury, and missed Utrecht’s lifeless 5-1 home dismantling by Feyenoord on Saturday.
New FC Volendam loanee Zack Booth was not in uniform for their 2-0 home loss to Twente on Saturday. It is not yet clear whether the younger Booth will work primarily with the first team or their U-21 squad during his season-long loan from Leicester City.
Djordje Mihailovic was a late substitute for AZ Alkmaar on Sunday in their 2-0 road win over Vitesse. The win leaves AZ atop the Eredivisie standings after three games, albeit ahead of PSV and Twente only by way of their goal-scoring record. In the game, Mihailovic had nine touches, completed four out of five passes, successfully completed his only attempted dribble and won three out of five duels.
In Eerste Divisie action, Gedion Zelalem started in FC Den Bosch’s central midfield on Friday, playing 64 minutes before leaving as a part of a triple-sub as the team searched unsuccessfully for a late equalizer in their 2-1 loss at home to Jong PSV. The former Arsenal product completed 82% of his 34 passes, accurately hit five out of seven long balls, made 10 recoveries, won one out of five duels and committed one foul.
Arizona-born Rickson van Hees went the distance for Jong Utrecht in their 1-0 win over Roda JC Kerkrade on Friday night. The former United States U17 player picked up his first yellow card of the season in the win.
John Hilton once again went the distance as FC Dordrecht’s left back on Friday night, as the team held off FC Emmen in a high-scoring 4-2 road win. The Long Beach native had 56 touches in the game, completed 75% of his 36 passes and was an active presence in the defense. He did commit two fouls, one of which led to his first yellow card of the season.
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