This newsitem has been supplied by PSV.nl
PSV had a disappointing start to a hectic week after sc Heerenveen inflicted the first defeat of the season on the defending champions at the Abe Lenstra Stadium in Heerenveen on Saturday night. PSV face a fixture schedule with three games in eight days. Caretaker coach Jan Wouters, who took charge after Ronal Koeman left PSV to join Valencia, saw his team slip to a 2-1 defeat, but a draw would have been a fairer reflection of the game. PSV were reduced to ten men when Edison Méndez was sent off in the 86th minute for a second yellow card.
PSV could not build on their impressive 4-0 victory against Sparta Rotterdam last weekend, but had deserved a better result from the tough away fixture at the Abe Lenstra Stadium. The Eindhoven team, however, failed to take advantage of the chances they had created. The PSV coaching staff will undoubtedly have been given enough food for thought ahead of the crucial fixtures away against Fenerbahçe on Wednesday and at home against AZ on Sunday. Nearest rivals Ajax and Feyenoord will be in Eredivisie action tomorrow.
It was an equally contested game during the first thirty minutes in front of a 25, 500 crowd. The hosts started most moves, but PSV played a compact defence and attempted to create opening themselves. Former PSV striker Gerald Sibon created the first dangerous moment, when he drew a great save from PSV goalkeeper Gomes. The visitors immediately started a counter attack. Kenneth Perez delivered a sharp cross from the right flank that Heerenveen stopper Vandenbussche failed to catch and Lazovic tapped home the opening goal from close range after 28 minutes; 0-1. The lead was short lived, for only three minutes later Heerenveen restored parity, when Bak Nielsen headed home from a free kick; 1-1. Heerenveen created another chance in the remainder of the first period, but Alves sent his effort wide of the goal.
PSV started the second half brightly with Perez firing on target. Koevermans was brought on for Perez after 56 minutes and ten minutes later Aissati came on for Farfán, who had wasted a great chance minutes before. As the game went into the final twenty minutes, the hosts took the lead. A shot from Sulejmani took a wicked deflection off Kromkamp before it ended up in the goal. PSV threw everything forward in the closing stages and battled hard to snatch a point, but the Heerenveen defence held out. Four minutes from time things went from bad to worse when Méndez was sent off for a second yellow card. PSV, who had last slipped to defeat on 7 April away against N.E.C, suffered their first defeat of the 2007/08 season.
