PSV back with a shout in Europe

AEK Athens 0, PSV Eindhoven 1

PSV Eindhoven’s false start to their European season does not necessarily mean they cannot make a sprint finish.

Chasing second place in Group C now, after losing both to Monaco and Deportivo La Coruna in their opening two fixtures, their hard-earned but ultimately comfortable victory at AEK Athens means they are right back in contention at the midway point.

A surge over their remaining three matches, the next which sees them host AEK in a fortnight’s time, will enable PSV to burst into the top two and book a ticket to the knockout stages.

In Athens, the home of the Olympics, PSV were slow to rise from their blocks, and it was AEK who dominated the opening half-hour, even though the closest they came in that period was a long-range strike from the former Leicester City midfielder Theo Zagorakis.

But, against the flow of the game in the 37th minute, Theo Lucius broke into the penalty area and took advantage of disastrous defending by Mihalis Kasapis to deal out devastating punishment.

Midfielder Lucius, who was only selected because captain Mark van Bommel is carrying an injury and could not play, justified his inclusion by coach Guus Hiddink, even though his first shot was saved by Chrisostomos Mihailidis.

With little cover for Mihailidis, Lucius snaffled up the rebound and PSV were ahead.

And in that moment of defensive self-destruction, the game changed almost beyond all recognition.

An air of hesitancy engulfed the AEK team and PSV were all of a sudden first to every ball, with Kevin Hofland outstanding in marshalling the defence and Mateja Kezman beginning to bother the home defence.

Serbo-Montenegrin striker Kezman was recently revealed to have been subject to what Eindhoven police believe was a kidnap plot but the episode looks to have had no impact.

He came within a whisker of netting PSV’s second, getting on the end of a Dennis Rommedahl cross from the right flank to ram the ball on target, only for goalkeeper Mihailidis to make a desperate save.

AEK were reduced to 10 men when Kofi Amponsah was red-carded for a professional foul on the increasingly influential Kezman, with the foul denying PSV a likely second goal as the frontman looked to be clear with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Although Kezman was prevented from giving PSV a two-goal lead, the dismissal effectively killed the game as a contest and the Dutch champions had more time and space all over the pitch as the Greek threat diminished.

Kezman fired just wide on two occasions, while both Rommedahl and lively teenager Arjan Robben had shots well saved by the busy Mihailidis.

Robben almost capped his fine personal performance in the first minute of injury time when he burst clear but was again thwarted by AEK’s goalkeeper, while there was a late threat for the visitors when striker Yiannis Okkas headed Vasilis Borbokis’ cross towards goal, only for PSV’s hard-working defence to clear the ball to safety.

It was a despairing final act but by that point PSV had proven worthy winners and they will take a psychological advantage into the duel with AEK in Eindhoven.

PSV still trail second-placed Monaco by three points, but a second win over the Greeks in November will have the Principality unit and leaders Deportivo La Coruna concerned.

Not yet up to full speed then, but PSV are fast improving.