PSV get a point they didn't deserve

Saturday 29 November 2008

PSV got a very fortunate point tonight at Heerenveen from a match in which they seemed to go down without a fight: 2-2.

After the best man on the pitch, Roy Beerens had doubled the score in the 65th minute, PSV's fate seemed sealed as they had not created anything thus far while Heerenveen rolled out one good attack after the other.

But as the hosts refused to give PSV the decisive knock the visitor's of course remained at least hopeful that they would be able to give their coach Huub Stevens something on his 55th birthday.

Stevens then gave himself the birthday gift he was hoping for when he let 18-year-old Peruvian striker Manco make his debut 10 minutes from the end.

At his first touch of the ball he played in a magnificent cross to give Danny Koevermans his very first chance of the game.

Koevermans - in-between the two center backs - made no mistake and beat goal keeper Steppe with a great bouncing header.

The home team then got nervous but still looked the better side, yet PSV equalized from what was only their second decent attack of the evening.

Lazovic played a great through ball for Nijland down the center and the young forward beat Steppe with a simple body dummy and a nice chip: 2-2.

With the draw PSV got much more then it deserved.

In the entertaining first half Heerenveen was the team that played the better football, and despite Stevens putting on three forwards - Koevermans, Lazovic and Nijland - the reigning champions were toothless up front.

Heerenveen were anything but and were a constant threat especially down the wings were Beerens again played a terrific game.

It seems only a matter of time before the youngster gets an invitation from Bert van Marwijk for the national team.

And it was Beerens who scored both goals for Heerenveen.

For his first he had to thank the referee as he didn't blow his whistle right away when Beerens was brought down in the penalty area.

The former PSV player managed to get halfway up and push the ball past the oncoming Isaksson: 1-0.

When Beerens scored his second the match seemed decided but Stevens would not have the Friesians spoil his birthday by handing him his sixth successive away defeat.

The point gained keeps PSV within reach of the top spots while the two points lost denied Heerenveen a chance to get out of the middle regions of the table.