PSV start their league campaign with a win; Excelsior pick up a dramatic victory

PSV started their 2023/24 season with a victory over FC Utrecht on Saturday. Noa Lang and Yorbe Vertessen got the goals for Peter Bosz’s side; despite the win, Bosz was unhappy with his team’s performance.

In a similar way to how Xavi Simons would break the deadlock at times for PSV last season, Lang gave them the lead in injury time of the first half with an unstoppable drive with his left foot into the roof of the net.

The second goal was one made in the PSV youth academy. Ismael Saibari continued his excellent start to life under Bosz with a perfect pass to Vertessen, who made no mistake one on one with Vasilis Barkas to score the last goal of the match with 15 minutes to go.

PSV’s next match is on Tuesday in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz. The Eindhovenaren are 4-1 up after the first leg. FC Utrecht’s next match is at home against SC Heerenveen.

Matchday One and NEC-Excelsior may already be the best match anyone will see this season in the Eredivisie. Excelsior scored the winner in the 99th minute after a topsy-turvy game that finished with seven goals scored.

Excelsior took the lead in Nijmegen after 12 minutes through a real strikers goal from Nikolas Agrafiotis before NEC scored twice through two of their ex-Ajax players in Youri Baas and Sontje Hansen, to go into halftime with the lead.

Excelsior struck back after halftime with a free header from centre-back Casper Widell only for their defensive marking qualities to desert them 7 minutes later, letting Japanese striker Koki Ogawa head home to restore NEC’s lead.

NEC thought they were on their way to a victory when Excelsior turned the game around in dramatic circumstances. First, Efosa Omorowa leveled the match before Oscar Uddenas broke away in the last minute of injury time to smash a dramatic late winner for the Rotterdammers. Every goalscorer but Agrafiotis was a debutant for the clubs they played for.

Excelsior will host Ajax next weekend. NEC travel to newly promoted Heracles Almelo.