PSV Eindhoven vs. Fluminense, 2018 Florida Cup: Final Score 1-1 as Brazilian Side Equalizes in Stoppage Time
by Michael Citro. Reprinted with permission from themaneland.com. Original story can be accessed here.
For the second time in as many games, PSV Eindhoven saw a late dramatic stoppage-time goal send a game into penalties to determine an extra point in the Florida Cup standings. This time, the Dutch side was in a winning position on Sam Lammers’ first-half goal only to see Fluminense’s Robinho score deep in injury time at Spectrum Stadium on the University of Central Florida campus.
The reversal of Wednesday’s game continues into the penalty shootout. This time PSV won the ensuing spot kick competition, 5-4, to claim a second point in the tournament.
PSV was the better team against a Brazilian side for the second time during their trip to Orlando but again had to settle for a draw in regulation. The Dutch side held a 14-4 advantage in shot attempts but couldn’t put the game away when it counted.
A foul by Reginaldo on Ramon Lundqvist set up an early PSV free kick near the right corner. Dante Rigo whipped in a nice cross and Donyell Malen got his head on it but he slammed it off the crossbar and the ball bounced straight down on the line without crossing it. Julio Cesar was able to corral it before any PSV attackers could pounce and Fluminense was lucky not to go behind at the 11-minute mark.
Three minutes later, the Brazilian side got its first dangerous chance as Marlon came down the left and centered for a streaking Henrique Dourado, but a last-ditch sliding challenge by Derick Luckassen prevented a shot and conceded a corner. Fluminense offered no threat from the ensuing set piece. And that was pretty much the case the rest of the first half, as PSV bossed the game.
In the 16th minute, Malen stung the hands of Cesar from about 25 yards out, but the Fluminense keeper was able to gather. A minute later, Cesar was forced to come off his line but was late in doing so and did just enough to prevent a sure PSV goal, as the ball deflected wide and a foul on PSV nullified what would have been a corner.
Cody Gakpo had a ball fall for him in the box in the 36th minute as PSV continued to pressure the Fluminense defense, but his shot was blocked out for a corner by Renato Chaves, preventing a possible goal. Mauro Junior fired high in the 39th from distance as PSV pressed for an opener.
That finally came in the 41st minute as Lammers took the ball down the left side of the box, faked left and right to send two defenders sliding on the ground, then blasted a curling shot just inside the far post to make it 1-0. It was Lammers’ second goal of the tournament and it was gorgeous.
That was it for the first half, as the Dutch side had dominated the opening period. PSV had a 5-0 advantage in shots at the half in addition to the game’s only goal.
Fluminense came out of the locker room with a bit more spirit, taking the attack to PSV in the opening minutes of the second period, and getting a couple of early crosses into the box, although there wasn’t any menace in them.
Gakpo fired a shot on target from the top of the box in the 52nd minute as PSV regained control of the game but Cesar got down to make the save. Midfielder Douglas then fired over the bar on Fluminense’s first actual shot of the game in the 57th.
Malen then got involved in the attack for PSV, finding Lundqvist all alone at the back post at the 59-minute mark, but the Swede couldn’t make good contact on the volley attempt and it was easy for Cesar to collect. Five minutes later, Malen had a go from just outside the box but got under his shot and it sailed over the crossbar.
Gakpo earned a free kick in a good spot in the 74th minute for PSV. Luckassen stepped into the free kick and beat the wall but his shot was straight into the goalkeeper’s belly.
In the 75th minute, PSV Manager Phillip Cocu made wholesale changes, bringing on almost an entirely new squad. This was in direct contrast to the few and more spaced out substitutions made by Fluminense boss Abel Braga. One of those Fluminense subs, Matheus Alessandro, became a dangerous attacker down the right channel for the Brazilian side, earning a pair of corners in the 77th and 81st minutes. Only last-ditch defending kept his crosses from reaching their targets on the back side of PSV goalkeeper Eloy Room.
In the 84th minute, second-half sub Hirving “Chucky” Lozano nearly doubled the lead for PSV. The Mexican winger cut from the left toward the middle, passed a pair of defenders and fired, but the shot took a slight deflection and although it beat the goalkeeper it rolled just wide of the right post. That set off a chain reaction of three straight PSV corner kicks that ended when Anancio Obispo’s free header sailed just over the bar.
Lozano’s 89th-minute free kick was again comfortable for the goalkeeper as PSV continued to waste chances in a game the Dutch side was dominating. It turned out to be costly.
In about the third minute of stoppage time, Fluminense equalized out of nowhere. Playing on with a PSV man down and no whistle, the Brazilian side ended up with a break down the left side. Robinho cut toward the middle and beat the outstandingly named Eloy Room in exactly the same spot Lammers had scored.
It was a heartbreaking result for PSV after being the better side yet again but having to settle for one point in regulation. At least this time they found a second in penalties.
Penalty Shootout
Fluminense: Robinho sent the keeper the wrong way and scored into the lower right corner. 1-0.
PSV: Lozano basically did the same thing Robinho did. 1-1.
Fluminense: Pedro blasted it past the keeper with power. 2-1.
PSV: Obispo beat Cesar, who guessed correctly in the right corner but it had enough on it to beat the keeper. 2-2.
Fluminense: Jadson goes right corner and scores. 3-2.
PSV: Hendrix sent a screamer into the upper left corner. 3-3.
Fluminense: Romarinho fired just wide to the right. 3-3.
PSV: Malen scored into the upper right corner with a short run-up. 3-4.
Fluminense: Chaves scored with a slow run-up to freeze Room. 4-4.
PSV: Pereiro scored into the upper right corner to win it. 4-5.
