As was the case 12 months ago, PSV Eindhoven and Rangers‘ Champions League qualifying playoff tie is on a knife-edge heading into Wednesday’s second leg at Philips Stadion.
For the second year running, the two clubs played out a topsy-turvy 2-2 draw at Ibrox in their opening encounter, where Peter Bosz‘s side came from behind twice to rescue a slice of the spoils.
Match Preview
Failure to take one of the several opportunities presented to them at Ibrox would seemingly cost PSV dear last week, as Abdallah Sima opened the scoring with a peach of a strike just before the break, and an Ibrahim Sangare response was also cancelled out by Rabbi Matondo‘s crisp strike.
However, lightning would strike twice on Glaswegian soil, as with 10 minutes remaining, PSV’s talismanic marksman Luuk de Jong rose highest from a corner, and while the Dutchman missed his header, the ball cannoned off the top of his shoulder into the back of the net.
A couple more last-gasp chances came and went for Rangers, as their Dutch counterparts travelled back to base in a strong position to clear the final hurdle, but few PSV fans will need reminding of how last year’s second leg at Philips Stadion panned out.
However, the Dutch Super Cup winners enter Wednesday’s winner-takes-all clash with an astonishing 23-game unbeaten run to protect since February’s Europa League humbling at the hands of seasoned winners Sevilla, although their first-leg draw did snap a six-game winning sequence for Bosz’s troops.
Nevertheless, PSV have now found the back of the net at least twice in five successive matches and have not suffered a single competitive defeat at Philips Stadion so far in 2023 – winning 13 and drawing one of their last 14 contests in front of their own supporters.
In order to deny PSV a first Champions League group-stage berth since the 2018-19 campaign, Michael Beale‘s Rangers must channel the spirits of Giovanni Van Bronckhorst‘s troops, who ran out 1-0 winners at Philips Stadion last year thanks to an Antonio Colak strike before a forgettable group-stage campaign.
While PSV were blessed with a weekend off from domestic duties, Rangers were not afforded such a luxury and travelled to Ross County on Saturday for their latest Scottish Premiership affair, but the Gers made light work of their opponents in a straightforward 2-0 win.
First-half goals from Kemar Roofe and James Tavernier proved telling at the Global Energy Stadium, as Rangers made it third time lucky on the road this season, having been defeated by Kilmarnock and held to a 1-1 draw by Servette before picking up an opportune away triumph.
Now entering Wednesday’s second leg with a six-game unbeaten run to protect, Rangers have also made the net ripple twice on five occasions in that hot streak – the one aberration being their Servette stalemate – and recent history is not the only thing on their side in Eindhoven.
Indeed, from the previous nine meetings between PSV and Rangers in all competitions, the Eredivisie side have only ever managed to beat their Scottish counterparts on one occasion – a 1-0 Ibrox win in the second leg of a 2010-11 Europa League last-16 tie courtesy of a Jeremain Lens effort – and a repeat of the 35-year-old’s heroics this week would not go amiss for the hosts.
Team News
PSV clung on for a 2-2 draw at Ibrox despite losing both centre-backs in Andre Ramalho and Olivier Boscagli to injury, although the former has been spotted in full training and should be available for the crucial second leg.
However, Boscagli’s participation is more uncertain, while fellow centre-half Armando Obispo is stepping up his recovery from a knee injury but is unlikely to be risked so soon, while Patrick van Aanholt, Mauro Junior and Fredrik Oppegard are also in the care of the medical team.
It is unclear if any member of the trio will be passed fit for Wednesday, so Barcelona loanee Sergino Dest may be required to fill in at left-back again, potentially alongside another new arrival and emergency centre-back Jerdy Schouten.
In contrast, Rangers have not been hit with any new concerns from their most recent continental or domestic affair, although long-term ACL victim Steven Davis and Ridvan Yilmaz – who is nursing a strain – were absent against Ross County.
However, Yilmaz is now being put through his paces on the training pitches and could still prove his fitness in time, while Tom Lawrence and goalscorer Roofe both shook off knocks to feature at the weekend, but Nnamdi Ofoborh has departed after his time at Ibrox was hampered by a heart condition.
Despite his opener at the weekend, Roofe will expect to cede his place in the final third to the returning Sima, and the same can be said for John Lundstram in the engine room as Ryan Jack eyes an immediate recall.
PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Teze, Ramalho, Schouten, Dest; Veerman, Sangare; Bakayoko, Saibari, Lang; De Jong
Rangers possible starting lineup:
Butland; Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barisic; Raskin, Jack, Cifuentes; Cantwell; Sima, Dessers
We say: PSV Eindhoven 2-1 Rangers (PSV win 4-3 on aggregate)
PSV may have wasted a glut of golden opportunities at Ibrox, but Bosz’s men always seem to notch multiple goals no matter the occasion, and attack should be the best form of defence for the Eredivisie giants this week given their fresh fitness woes at the back.
A makeshift PSV backline should not keep Rangers’ own bright offensive talents at bay, but with the hosts also benefitting from an extended recuperation period and proving unbeatable in front of the home crowd so far in 2023, vengeance should be theirs as Beale’s men accept demotion to Europa League football.
