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PSV slip to 4-1 defeat against Panathinaikos (PSV.nl)

8 dec 2004 - Source: PSV.nl

This newsitem has been supplied by PSV.nl

PSV had already ensured qualification for the Champions League knock-out phase, but they will not be in the pot of group winners, when the draw takes place next Friday week. The Eindhoven team slipped to a 4-1 defeat against Panathinaikos on a hot night of football. As Arsenal hammered Rosenborg 5-1 at Highbury, the English champions go through as group winners and PSV as number two.Panathinaikos will continue their European campaign in the UEFA Cup tournament. The Greeks gave PSV a hard time and their victory was well deserved; yet they were dependent on the result in London. Panathinaikos had home advantage and the players did their utmost to please their fanatic supporters, who never ceased urging them on.PSV got two golden opportunities to put things straight, but then it soon became clear that they were facing a mission impossible. They may have been lulled asleep by their qualification and when they realised that they could not pull off a fair result, they did not take any risks, ahead of the crucial domestic league game, away against Feyenoord next Sunday.The Greeks took the lead on over half an hour’s play. Dimitrios Papadopoulos surprised PSV keeper Gomes with a tap-in from an acute angle at the near post after his captain Markus Münch had found him, 1-0. The supporters in the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium were wild with exctasy, but the joy was not long-lived. PSV cancelled the deficit on 37 minutes, when Phillip Cocu headed on an Alex pass. DaMarcus Beasley, quick as lighting, curled the ball home with the precision of a surgeon; 1-1. At that moment Arsenal were already well on top against Rosenborg BK and Panathinaikos had virtually made sure of UEFA Cup football.The hosts started a lethal counter attack on the verge of half time and Gomes was just too late to stop Papadopoulos. The Brazilian PSV goalie was shown a yellow card for his foul by the Swedish referee Peter Fröjdfeldt and Münch coolly converted the resulting spot kick. The game had come to live once again and with a 2-1 scoreline the two teams went into the dressing room. The visitors had a poor start to the second period and Münch cleverly scored 3-1 on the hour mark.The German fired a home a trademark free kick into the roof of the net; 3-1.PSV head coach Guus Hiddink granted Johan Vonlanthen playing time with 25 minutes to go. The young Swiss international came on for Csaba Fehér and Michael Lamey left the bench to replace Alex, who had already been booked. PSV earned a penalty on 68 minutes, when Park, who was put clear, was hauled down in the box, but captain Mark van Bommel saw his spot kick saved by keeper Mario Galinovic. When a goal scored by Park was controversially disallowed – the cross from which he scored was supposedly delivered when the ball had already crossed the line- the party was definitely over for PSV.Substitute Lucian Sanmartean then wrapped up things, capitalizing on sloppy defending by Lamey; 4-1. PSV accepted defeat and although the brave Panathinaikos players exited from the UEFA main tournament, they had restored pride.