Ricardo Pepi was on the scoresheet for PSV, but it came at a cost as he went down with a horrific injury in their win over Excelsior.
PSV 5-1 Excelsior
PSV extended their lead atop the Eredivisie standings as they hit Excelsior hard with a dominant win at Philips Stadion.
Ricardo Pepi started for the Farmers and played 26 minutes, making six touches, winning a duel, and putting two shots on target. Sergino Dest went the distance of the game, completing 91 percent passing, winning nine duels, and making two tackles.
The hosts opened the scoring eight minutes in when Paul Wanner steered in a low cross from teammate Dennis Man into the goal.
Pepi doubled their lead in the 23rd minute when he was able to meet a cross from Guus Til and get the ball across the goal line, but a horrible moment occurred immediately afterward. The forward fell awkwardly on his left arm, causing him to sprawl in pain. This led him to being subbed out with a broken arm.
Despite the unfortunate injury, PSV kept the momentum going in the 33rd minute when Yarek Gasiorowski was able to win the battle with his marker to head in a cross from Mauro Junior. Ryan Flamingo added another goal six minutes later with a header to finish off Joey Veerman’s corner kick.
Ilias Bronckhorst reduced the deficit for Excelsior in the first minute of stoppage time, but that’s about all they had to challenge the reigning league champions.
Man grabbed PSV’s fifth goal in the 69th minute as he dribbled into the area almost unchallenged to fire his shot into the goal.
The league leaders now sit on 49 points, a comfortable 13-point lead ahead of second-place Feyenoord.
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