Takumi Minamino and Breel Embolo were brought in this summer to Monaco from Liverpool and Borussia Monchengladbach in order to strengthen the attack, but it was the defence who actually failed when it mattered the most: PSV – Monaco 3-2. The French team had high hopes for the Champions League, but their new boys totally failed in this match, while PSV’s ‘new boy’ Luuk De Jong again shone when it mattered most and scored his 22nd goal in the European games, which makes him the second most successful Dutchman after Klaas Jan Huntelaar (24). FT: PSV 3-2 AS Monaco. (4-3 AGG).PSV are qualified for the final round of the Champions League qualifiers. In which they will have to try and beat Rangers FC. Ruud van Nistelrooy vs Giovanni van Bronckhorst, what a clash! 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/7MnpQ9gDQR— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) August 9, 2022 Former Sevilla and Barcelona man quietly arrived this summer and new coach Rudd van Nistelrooy gave him the captain’s armband, and he didn’t disappoint. He was quiet during the match, but when Monaco’s defence lost its concentration in overtime, he sneaked and headed his team (literally) to the last round of the Champions League and pushed back Monaco to the Europa League. 22 – Only Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored more European goals for Dutch sides this century (24) than Luuk de Jong (22 – 10 for Twente, 12 for @PSV). Towering. pic.twitter.com/0k2FSKcPFg— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) August 9, 2022 At the beginning of the match, Monaco controlled possession but it was PSV who got on the score sheet first. Mwene found Saibari in depth who crossed back for Veerman who had enough space and time to score from 9 meters away. Saibari was again the main protagonist 10 minutes later and this time it was he who took a shot, but the ball went above the bar. The guests had their best chance at the end of the first half when Ben Yedder’s shot was saved superbly by former Nice keeper Benitez.
Eventual scorer Maripan had a chance three minutes before the equalizer but stoke a post. Later on, he was successful, when he used a scuffle in the penalty area and scored from two meters away: 1-1. 15 minutes later, Monaco was on the verge of complete turnover when Ben Yedder scored for the win, but the home team waited until the 90th minute to bring the fans to their feet. Gutierrez equalized with a header from a quickly played free kick and the referee ignored the possible offside: 2-2 and the overtime. Embolo had the best chance for the win just at the beginning of overtime but the new boy missed and the game turned into a boring affair until De Jong did what he does best – scored the winner with his head. In the next round, PSV will play against Glasgow Rangers.
UEFA Champions League, QualificationFK Žalgiris – Bodø/Glimt 1-1 (1-0)/Kyeremeh 39 – Mvuka 50/Apollon Limassol – Maccabi Haifa 2-0 (2-0)/Ongenda 19, Coll 26/Viktoria Plzen – FC Sheriff Tiraspol 2-1 (1-0)/Kliment 10, Mosquera 61 – Akanbi 47/Pyunik Yerevan – FK Crvena zvezda 0-2 (0-2)/Kanga 44, Pavkov 60/FC Midtjylland – SL Benfica 1-3 (0-1)/Sisto 63 – Fernandez 23, Araujo 56, Goncalves 88/Ferencvarosi TC – Qarabag FK 1-3 (0-1)/Traore 86 – Zoubir 7, Wadji 54, 78/GNK Dinamo Zagreb – Ludogorets Razgrad 4-2 (3-1)/Drmic 12, Orsic 27, 44, Petkovic 87 – Despodov 45, 49/SK Sturm Graz – Dynamo Kyiv 1-2 (1-0)/Hojlund 27 – Vivcharenko 97, Tsygankov 112/PSV Eindhoven – AS Monaco 3-2/Veerman 21, Gutierrez 87, De Jong 109 – Maripan 58, Bin Yedder 70/Rangers – Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 3-0 (1-0)/Tavernier 45, Čolak 58, Tillman 78/