PSV Eindhoven hosts FC Groningen in the Philips Stadion for a match in round 3. The titleholder seeks its first smooth performance of the season. PSV picked up four points from the first two games and is sixth, while Groningen made a perfect start and is second, two points and two places above the host before Sunday.
What happened?
PSV lost the Johan Cruijff Schaal 4-0 to AZ Alkmaar and played a 2-2 draw against Fortuna Sittard in the opening weekend of the competition. It took until last Saturday for the champion to really get going, a 2-1 win over Excelsior, where Ruben van Bommel opened the score in the first half before Ricardo Pepi scored the winning goal in the second half.
Why is this important for PSV Eindhoven?
The underlying numbers of PSV tell a more complex story than the league table suggests, with many easier conceded goals than the results alone would suggest. Yet the home advantage still counts heavily in the Philips Stadion, where PSV had the best home record in the Eredivisie last season, with 13 wins in 17 games and an average of 3.4 goals at home.
What comes next?
PSV Eindhoven is currently 6th in the Eredivisie, with 4 points, 1 win, 1 draw and 0 losses in the first 2 games of the season. The titleholder is seeking its first smooth performance of the season and will have to deal with the absence of Jerdy Schouten, who is out with a knee injury.
