Bajraktarevic Shines as Champions PSV Secure Convincing Victory Against PEC Zwolle

In their first match following the announcement as Eredivisie champions, PSV faced PEC Zwolle with a significantly changed lineup. 19-year-old Joel van den Berg made his debut as a starter, while goalkeeper Nick Olij took to the pitch for his first competitive game for PSV. Couhaib Driouech, Guus Til, and Esmir Bajraktarevic supported Ricardo Pepi, stepping in for Ivan Perisic, Ismael Saibari, and Dennis Man.

PSV quickly took the initiative with an early goal, as Ricardo Pepi headed in a precise cross from Esmir Bajraktarevic to make it 1-0 just eight minutes in.

The hosts, now champions, cruised through the first half without much urgency, denying PEC any real opportunities to counterattack. Mauro Junior’s low shot was the only notable chance for PSV in a lacklustre first half, which even saw Myron Boadu and Armando Obispo at the bench join in the fun with a Mexican wave.

PEC managed to level the match within five minutes of the second half, utilising a great long ball from Ryan Thomas to set up Odysseus Velanas, who then fed Thijs Oosting. While Oosting’s attempt was thwarted by Olij, Zico Buurmeester was on hand to slot the ball home through the legs of Ryan Flamingo.

Despite PEC’s goal, the dynamic duo of Pepi and Bajraktarevic wasted no time in restoring PSV’s advantage, with Pepi again finding the net from another excellent Bajraktarevic cross, this time heading it in off the crossbar.

PEC’s equaliser seemed to invigorate PSV, and with the match nearing its conclusion, Bajraktarevic and Van den Berg started to press De Graaff, transforming the game into a one-sided affair.

Bajraktarevic continued his outstanding performance with an assist leading to PEC defender Simon Graves inadvertently scoring an own goal, sending the ball into the top of his own net just 20 minutes from time.

He wasn’t done yet, as Bajraktarevic landed the final blow for PSV, netting a spectacular strike into De Graaff’s bottom left corner from distance, capping off an impressive individual display.

In a flurry of late goals, Bajraktarevic continued to impose himself, intercepting the ball from three PEC defenders and assisting Couhaib Driouech, who poked in from Guus Til’s lob into an empty net for a 5-1 lead.

As the match reached its final minutes, Esmir Bajraktarevic capped a stellar evening by finishing off a fine move with Driouech to score again, firing past De Graaff and marking four PSV goals in a mere ten minutes.

PSV’s comfortable win sets them off to the Spanish island of Ibiza, allowing the Eredivisie champions to enjoy a break amid the Dutch national holiday known as King’s Day.