PSV Survives Thriller Against Excelsior in KNVB Cup

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — PSV Eindhoven narrowly avoided a shocking upset in the KNVB Cup on Tuesday, defeating Excelsior 5-4 in a dramatic extra-time thriller at the Philips Stadion. The match, part of the tournament’s round of 16, saw Excelsior push the Eredivisie giants to the brink before PSV’s late heroics secured their place in the quarterfinals.

Excelsior, currently second in the Dutch second division, stunned the home crowd by taking a 3-1 lead in the second half. Noah Naujoks opened the scoring with a header, followed by goals from Lance Duijvestijn and a second from Naujoks. PSV, however, clawed back with goals from Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman, forcing extra time.

In the additional period, PSV’s Ivan Perisic and Ismael Saibari scored to seal the victory, despite a late penalty conversion by Excelsior’s Troy Omorowa. “This is fucked up, but we have to accept it and keep believing,” Excelsior coach Ruben den Uil was heard telling his players during the match.

Elsewhere in the KNVB Cup, AZ Alkmaar defeated Ajax 2-0, with substitute Mees Meerdink scoring the decisive goal. Meanwhile, amateur side Noordwijk advanced to the quarterfinals after a 1-0 extra-time win over Barendrecht, with Arantis Roep netting the winner.

The tournament also saw the debut of a new VAR communication rule, where referees explained their decisions to the crowd. “This is a step toward greater transparency,” said Raymond van Meenen, head of the Dutch referees’ association.

PSV will now join AZ and Noordwijk in the quarterfinals, while Ajax, Excelsior, and Barendrecht exit the competition. The remaining round of 16 matches are set to take place on Wednesday.