The Citizen (KZN)

PSV coach is left frustrated

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Eindhoven – PSV Eindhoven coach Peter Bosz (above) was left ruing missed chances after his side squandered several opportunit­ies in a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last-16 first-leg tie on Tuesday.

“In the second-half, we had loads of chances. It was a shame that we didn’t score a second,” Bosz told reporters after the game at the Philips Stadion.

Donyell Malen snatched a vital goal to earn the Bundesliga giants the away draw at his old club but wasteful PSV were left to wonder what could have been.

The big question pre-match was which Borussia Dortmund would show up – the team that topped the Champions League “Group of Death” or the outfit struggling for consistenc­y in the Bundesliga?

And it was a cagey opening in an intimidati­ng atmosphere in Eindhoven, the home fans letting off a volley of fireworks at kick-off.

“We started very nervously, I think both sides were nervous in the first minutes,” said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.

When the smoke cleared, the hosts had the better of the opening exchanges, Mexico internatio­nal winger Hirving Lozano causing the Dortmund defence headaches down the left.

PSV midfielder Malik Tillman fluffed two gilt-edged chances in front of goal, once firing wide after a clever through-ball from veteran Dutch striker Luuk de Jong.

And the visitors punished PSV’s profligacy, taking the lead against the run of play in the 24th minute when Malen squeezed a deflected shot into the top corner.

Malen had been prolific for the Dutch giants, scoring 55 goals in all competitio­ns in just 43 games, and chose not to celebrate in front of PSV’s hardcore fans.

The mis-firing Tillman somehow then contrived to miss another goal that looked easier to score, this time with a header right in front of goal.

Then it was Belgian internatio­nal winger Johan Bakayoko’s turn to scuff a shot wide, with the home fans starting to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights, as they went into the break 1-0 down.

PSV haven’t lost at home all season and started the second half on the front foot and were soon level.

Tillman redeemed his earlier errors by winning a penalty in the 56th minute which incensed Dortmund defenders and De Jong slotted calmly past Alexander Meyer.

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