PSV Bids a Poignant Farewell to Champions League after Thrilling Draw against Arsenal

Couhaib Driouech NOS Voetbal   Last night, the quest for redemption after the humiliating 1-7 defeat at home against Arsenal saw PSV Eindhoven take to the pitch with their heads held high in the return fixture in London. A brave 2-2 draw was the outcome, allowing the reigning Dutch champions to fulfil the task set forth by their manager, Peter Bosz. Alas, PSV’s journey in the Champions League ended in the round of 16, mirroring Feyenoord's own stoic exit from European competition.   **Champions League Quarter-Finals** - Bayern Munich vs. Internazionale - Paris Saint-Germain vs. Aston Villa - FC Barcelona vs. Borussia Dortmund - Arsenal vs. Real Madrid   Bosz, having accepted the inevitable, opted to rest several regulars. The likes of Luuk de Jong, Ryan Flamingo, Noa Lang, Olivier Boscagli, and Joey Veerman started on the bench, while Ismael Saibari and Mauro Júnior were left out entirely. Young Isaac Babadi, just 19, earned a spot as an attacking midfielder, with Couhaib Driouech stepping in on the left and Ivan Perišić donning the role of makeshift striker.   Arsenal, too, fielded a less-than-full-strength side, missing key players Martin Ødegaard and Jurriën Timber. However, the ever-dangerous Oleksandr Zinchenko opened the scoring against his former club, striking a stunning shot into the top corner just six minutes in. Despite a defensive line featuring Adamo Nagalo and Armando Obispo, PSV looked shaky.   Perišić once again proved his worth at the age of 36, levelling things up with a thunderous shot into the net after a pass from Guus Til. The jubilant PSV fans in the Emirates Stadium serenaded their side with chants of “ten, ten, ten.” Their goal was to keep Arsenal's aggregate score under ten.   As the match progressed, it became a frantic affair, with Driouech nearly scoring and PSV's keeper, Walter Benítez, thwarting a deadly attempt from 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly that rattled the post. However, PSV's luck ran dry as Raheel Sterling’s clever assist found Declan Rice, who headed home Arsenal's second goal just before the half-time whistle.   Driouech’s moment of brilliance came shortly after the break, when he deftly rounded the keeper to put away a beautiful chip, equalising the match at 2-2. With De Jong, Flamingo, and Boscagli introduced as substitutes, the side held their own, with Babadi almost netting a third and De Jong heading wide in injury time.   Bosz left the pitch satisfied, having avoided another lopsided defeat and injecting confidence into his squad as they gear up for the decisive end to the Eredivisie season.   - Resource: "https://nos.nl/artikel/2559309-psv-neemt-eervol-afscheid-van-champions-league-met-gelijkspel-bij-arsenal"