Dutch giants PSV emphatically booked its place back into the UEFA Champions League group stage with U.S. men’s national team fullback Sergino Dest delivering a second-straight impressive shift.
Dest logged 90 minutes at left back as PSV defeated Scottish side Rangers 5-1 on Wednesday night and 7-3 on aggregate to reach the UCL group stage. The Barcelona loanee retained his starting spot in Peter Bosz’s lineup and walked away with another confident boost at his new club.
Ismael Saibari scored twice for PSV while Luuk De Jong, Joey Veerman, and a Connor Goodson own goal all helped the Eredivisie club roll to a dominant victory. Despite James Tavernier’s finish in the 65th minute, PSV scored three additional goals to truly pad its lead at the Philips Stadion.
Dest won nine of 11 duels, made five recoveries, and completed two dribbles from his left back position.
Malik Tillman played the final three minutes off the bench while Ricardo Pepi was an unused substitute.
PSV will learn its group stage fate during Friday’s draw before visiting RKC Waalwijk in league play on Sept. 2.
Dest, Tillman, and Pepi will all be heading on USMNT duty following Saturday’s match with friendlies upcoming against Uzbekistan and Oman on home soil.
I don’t know if that was made very clear. I’m sure he was told that he would compete with De Jong.
Now it is earlier days, but it’s still a concern.
2Tone,
How’s this for very clear:
“Ricardo possesses the qualities we look for in an attacker, the qualities of a PSV player,” PSV Director of Football Earnie Stewart said. “He has proven to be a goal scorer in multiple positions, and he works extremely hard for it. It speaks volumes that he accounted for such a large portion of FC Groningen’s goals.”
“With Luuk de Jong, we have the best header in the Netherlands, but with the number of matches coming up, you want to have double coverage in every position,” Stewart added. “Ricardo is still very young, so this transfer is also an investment for the future.”
Of course he will compete with de Jong but that wording tells you it’s not an equal competition yet. You are a biased USMNT fan. Maybe you think de Jong is small beer and should just die and get the fuck out of the way. But de Jong is the captain for a reason. Besides, getting so good that he forces de Jong out of the way is how Pepi gets to be better. Our kids are soft so suffering will be good for him. It will make him angry. We could use more of that.
USMNT fans like positions to be handed to our entitled players just because.
But that kind of entitled shit is just what got our other PSV player, Dest into so much trouble. It looks like Dest has finally gotten his head straightened.
Some here think we all lie and make up these quotes so here’s the link:
https://sbisoccer.com/2023/07/psv-acquires-usmnt-forward-ricardo-pepi
Good to see Dest logging 90 minutes. I do worry about Pepi’s continued lack of minutes. I understand being the understudy to De Jong, but usually understudy’s see minutes.
Hopefully Tillman can work his way more into the team.
“but usually understudy’s see minutes.”
Actually some understudies never get to see the field.
In Pepi’s case it was made very clear that he would wait his turn behind DeJong the club captain.
And in any case, it is way, way early. There are plenty of games yet to play.