PSV was staring a shutout home UEFA Champions League loss in the face until the U.S. men’s national team duo of Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman saved the day.
Tillman scored twice while Pepi delivered the winning goal in the 96th minute as PSV rallied to defeat Ukrainian visitors Shakhtar Donetsk 3-2 in Eindhoven. It was PSV’s second league phase win in this season’s competition, moving them to 18th in the standings.
Shakhtar held all the momentum for most of the match after Danylo Sikan and Oleksandr Zubkov both scored in the first half. However, Pedro Henrique’s red card ejection in the 69th minute would flip the switch for PSV’s attack.
Tillman’s low free kick in the 87th minute cut PSV’s deficit to 2-1 and gave the hosts a major momentum boost.
The 22-year-old called his own number again in the 90th minute, this time rifling a long-range shot into the top-left corner. Hirving Lozano’s original effort was blocked, but Tillman picked up the rebound and delivered the equalizer for his second goal of the night.
PSV continued its fight for a winning goal and received one in the 96th minute through the in-form Pepi. A low cross into the box was not cleared by the Shakhtar backline, allowing Pepi to bundle home the loose ball.
It marked Pepi’s 10th goal of the season in all competitions and his 18th overall for the club.
Peter Bosz’s squad would hang on for a crucial three points, extending their winning streak to four matches.
The comeback result should give PSV added confidence heading into December 1’s top-two Eredivisie showdown with FC Utrecht.
JR,
“The off ball movement we saw in the second Jamaica match certainly was better than what 3G did.”
I wondered why Pochettino replaced Johnny with Tillman. It seems like he was trying to see what Tillman would do in a role where he would get more time and space. Tillman has said that he patterns himself after Paul Pogba and Pogba was comfortable as a regista, which is basically what Johnny seems to be projecting as.
It’s going to be a lot of fun seeing what Pochettino does with Tillman, Tessman, Johnny , Gio , Busio and Weston if he can ever get them all together on one field at the same time.
I doubt there has ever been a time when 2 Americans scored a total of 3 goals late to snatch a win in the last minutes of a CL game. Pretty remarkable. Looks like we have a real striker now, plus Pulisic and quite a few guys who can score
Don’t forget Carter-Vickers scored too. I mean for the other team, but he did score a goal.
Down 2-0 in the 87th minute and then winning 3-0 in regulation … I’m sure it has happened before but I don’t recall ever seeing or hearing anything like that before. Crazy!! I wish I was able to watch.
Oops. 3-2. 3-0 would have been even more incredible.
They were up a man, that certainly helped. Once Shaktar got the red, they put pretty much everyone in the box. Shots before they went to ten, 14-10 PSV, last 20+ added time 21-2 PSV. PSV had the final 14 shots from 86th minute to 95th. Riznyk had one of the best performances you can have as a keeper while giving up 3 goals. Although it was his error on the Tillman FK that opened the flood gates.
Great to see. Poch somehow needs to find a way to get the best out of Tillman. When Tillman decides to turn it on he has the ability to be a special player.
Pepi continuing to make Bozs second guess who his starting striker should be.
2tone,
When Ricardo first signed, Earnie made it very clear that Pepi was there to learn from a very good forward in DeJong.
As best as I can tell it’s going exactly as planned. De Jong had a career year last season but this season it looks like he’s been hurt and the injuries are starting to catch up with him.
The coaches at Bayern Munich claimed that Tillman’s best position was striker so it will be interesting to see who Earnie sells at the end of the season.
Yes the Bayern academy coaches did think Tillman projected well as a striker. To be honest he reminds me of Havertz.
V and 2tone; Tillman got very few minutes as a CF at Bayern after tearing his ACL. I don’t know if those are related or just how they work their youth system (giving players time at different positions). I’m not sure either Rangers or PSV have used him there just as Furth, Hamburg, and Stuttgart rarely put Julian Green there but Ancelotti was convinced he was a #9.
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2tone, it’s very hard for the manager to find any player the time and space Malik gets on the ball at PSV in the international game. At some point it falls on the player to be quicker and more decisive with his actions. The off ball movement we saw in the second Jamaica match certainly was better than what 3G did.
JR,
“The off ball movement we saw in the second Jamaica match certainly was better than what 3G did.”
I wondered why Pochettino replaced Johnny with Tillman. It seems like he was trying to see what Tillman would in a role where he would get more time and space. Tillman has said that he patterns himself after Paul Pogba and Pogba was comfortable as a regista, which is basically what Johnny seems to be projecting as.
It’s going to be a lot of fun seeing what Pochettino does with Tillman, Tessman, Johnny , Gio , Busio and Weston if he can ever get them all together on one field at the same time.
Tillman gets a lot more time and space for PSV. That makes a lot of players better for their club than their country.
And now it’s on Poch to try to get the best out of him. I definitely think that position Mckennie is playing would be suited for Tillman and Reyna.
The USMNT appears to have a number of quality attacking players , such as Gio, Tillman, Weah and McKennie., who are difficult to pin down.
This is an obvious asset for a national team that is short on quality, period.
However, managing it requires a manager with the kind of clout that Pochettino has because he will wind up asking some players to do things they may not be entirely comfortable doing. But that’s the point of a national team. Players have to be willing to sacrifice and do what needs to be done.