Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven battled into the final 16 of the Champions League Wednesday, after a pulsating 3-1 extra-time win over Juventus gave them a 4-3 mixture play-off victory.
Centre-back Ryan Flamingo seized on some poor Juventus defending to poke the ball house within the first interval of additional time, sending PSV via to face both Arsenal or Inter Milan.
“Everybody gave it their all right now,” stated PSV captain and talismanic striker Luuk de Jong.
“We had our backs up in opposition to the wall however we stored pushing and we deserved to make it 3-1. In order that was nice, simply incredible,” added the 34-year-old.
Roared on by a boisterous crowd on the Philips Stadion, the hosts began the brighter, urgent the Juventus defence, dominating possession, and successful 50-50 balls.
However the first half ended goalless, PSV unable to show possession into alternative and Juventus glad to sit down on their 2-1 lead from the primary leg in Turin.
Needing a objective to remain within the tie, the house facet attacked the second half with extra urgency, and with 53 minutes on the clock, PSV had been again within the tie with a powerful objective.
Winger Noa Lang beat two Juventus defenders and delivered a pinpoint move to veteran Croatian attacker Ivan Perisic, who managed the ball brilliantly and drilled an unstoppable shot into the nook.
“That’s the kind of participant I’m. I prefer it when there are numerous guys in entrance of me, once I’m double-covered a bit,” stated man-of-the-match Lang.
“I like that higher than one-on-one. Which will sound unusual, however I like the larger problem.”
– ‘Unforgettable night’ –
PSV had been properly on high, Lang curling a shot simply previous the publish and De Jong seeing his header cleared off the road.
However in opposition to the run of play, the Serie A facet took again the mixture lead through a incredible strike from Timothy Weah, who blazed a low shot previous Walter Benitez from exterior the penalty space.
PSV continued to press exhausting and the stress ultimately informed as Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari seized on a goalmouth scramble to smash the ball into the highest nook.
With the rating at 3-3 on mixture, the Dutch champions had a number of agonising possibilities to wrap the match up within the final 5 minutes, Lang particularly denied by an outstretched foot from goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
Saibari fluffed an opportunity to take the lead within the second minute of additional time, scuffing his shot at Di Gregorio when clear via on objective.
However then the hosts took the lead, as Flamingo pounced on some goalmouth confusion within the Juventus defence to poke the ball house from point-blank vary.
“You simply need to be there. I was a striker, so I’ve a nostril for it,” joked Flamingo, who now has three Champions League targets to his identify.
The onus was now on Juventus to assault and Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic was unfortunate to see his effort rebound off the publish.
The PSV trustworthy endured a nailbiting second interval of additional time, however noticed their defence maintain agency to cap a memorable night time in Eindhoven.
The defeat sealed a depressing play-off section for Italian golf equipment after AC Milan had been despatched packing by Feyenoord and Atalanta misplaced to Membership Brugge.
“It was a very nice environment right now. Each second was nice. It was an unforgettable night,” stated match-winner Flamingo.
