empty effort in empty stadium against Atlético Madrid

PSV's chances to advance to the final sixteen of the Champions League ended with a 2-1 loss to Atlético Madrid. With everything on the line, PSV's effort was completely unacceptable and the best that can be said of it was that is was before a closed Vicente Calderón Stadium. Tied at three points with Olympique Marseille, PSV's ability to advance to the UEFA Cup will be contingent upon success against Liverpool with Atlético Madrid facing Marseille.

Simão gave Atlético Madrid the lead fourteen minutes into the match when Carlos Salcido's clearing effort proved dismally inadequate and lead to the 1-0 lead. While the home side had no support in the cavernous stadium they were in complete control of the match and could have easily doubled if it wasn't for the work of 'keeper Andreas Isaksson. However two minutes before the half-hour mark as Simão's corner struck Francisco Rodríguez in his mid-section and came to Maxi Rodríguez, who neatly struck the ball to the back of the net. With a two goal lead, the benefit of miserable defending blunders, PSV decided to start to play some Footy and were able to draw one back with Danny Koevermans poaching on a loose ball in-close two minutes after the break. PSV fought hard back but couldn't break through and once again, the lesson that defense will win championship is shown.

PSV will returns to Eredivisie action on Saturday to face Heerenveen.

PSV rues missed opportunities

Once again the story of PSV's season appears to be "missed opportunities" and the inability to finish scoring chances as they lost to Olympique Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome. For the first half-hour of the match, PSV supporters could take solace in their effective movement on a pitch that was questionably playable and in-fact, if this was a league match I would expect the match to have been abandoned. However that wasn't to be the case and at the half hour mark Hatem Ben Arfa played a through ball to Bakari Koné, who showed good pace moving past Eric Addo and putting the ball behind PSV 'keeper Andreas Isaksson. PSV had a number of opportunities to level the match before the half but at each turn, finishing was abysmally ineffective. Three minutes past the hour l'OM doubled the margin as a Bakari Koné set-up Mamadou Niang for a point-blank goal, which he did not falter. From that stage the Ligue 1 club anxious to fill the net, controlled the run of play and seven minutes later Hatem Ben Arfa provided Mamadou Niang a perfect pass for the second goal of his night.

The loss dumps PSV to the bottom of Group D, tied with Marseille and five points behind Liverpool and Atlético Madrid. PSV returns to action against NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie this Saturday.