Third time's the charm: Champions PSV beat Excelsior to return to winning ways

[p]After being hit with another injury setback to striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/plea-alassane/0rfLpu2t/"]Alassane Plea[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/M9UEHJWi/"]PSV[/a] welcomed back star midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/veerman-joey/AgXeAAQR/"]Joey Veerman[/a], who returned to the starting XI after missing last week's season opener - a 2-2 home draw against Fortuna Sittard - through suspension. New signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sano-kodai/vBwiuxMd/"]Kodai Sano[/a] started on the bench for PSV.[/p][p]PSV, who also lost the Johan Cruyff Shield to AZ, visited [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/excelsior/nNlLsRUr/"]Excelsior[/a], who led the Eredivisie after round 1 after their dominant 4-0 win away at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cambuur/QRyYgO7J/"]Cambuur[/a].[/p][p][b]The opening phase was a prey for PSV, who took the lead inside five minutes as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-bommel-ruben/djWkTIzc/"]Ruben van Bommel[/a] tapped in a rebound from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wanner-paul/hpGfyeg0/"]Paul Wanner[/a]'s shot, which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-gassel-stijn/d2a62NBO/"]Stijn van Gassel[/a] was unable to clear well enough.[/b][/p][embed guid="df07d1d5-e180-46a5-a823-59b182f28a92" url="https://x.com/ESPNnl/status/2088708609794310293?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was a quiet first half for the reigning champions from there on, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perisic-ivan/4AbKyVr9/"]Ivan Perisic[/a] taking Van Gassel under fire with a header, but the goalkeeper kept Excelsior alive with a strong save.[/p][p][b]After [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dest-sergino/lOQwOgTR/"]Sergino Dest[/a] was also held at bay by Van Gassel, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/widell-casper/YeWsjuy0/"]Casper Widell[/a] got Excelsior alongside PSV after steering a header past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kovar-matej/tIXuiy4C/"]Matej Kovar[/a] in the 55th minute.[/b][/p][p][b]PSV wasted no time recovering their lead, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pepi-ricardo/GE8fEuGS/"]Ricardo Pepi[/a] getting on the end of Dest's cross to get the Eindhoven giants back on top within a minute.[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="9ffbd7c2-67ae-4515-a8f2-80f2b219e5a5" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="46db10d9-608a-4bcc-8c4f-c73c82ffc68a" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]It was all PSV in the remaining half hour, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mauro-junior/jZwOs76l/"]Mauro Junior[/a] and debutant Sano trying their luck, but Mauro aimed wide of Van Gassel's goal, and Sano was denied by the reliable stopper.[/p][p]Excelsior then hoped to level the score once more via [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/groen-nesto/pSCr6ElB/"]Nesto Groen[/a], but the substitute striker couldn't get enough on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/janssen-simon/rVXGyog4/"]Simon Janssen[/a]'s cross and saw his effort fly just wide of Kovar's post. On the other end of the pitch, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/man-dennis/zwvX5g6l/"]Dennis Man[/a] quickly got even closer to practically ending Excelsior's hopes, yet lobbed the ball over the backline.[/p][p]The hosts' efforts proved not enough as PSV left Rotterdam with their first win of the new season, with a narrow 2-1 win over Excelsior. PSV host FC Groningen next in Eindhoven on Sunday, August 23rd.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/excelsior-nNlLsRUr/psv-M9UEHJWi/?mid=zJ7d9NtA"]Check out the full match statistics on Flashscore[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="7e3b12a0-8b09-4d80-a9ed-f734b143168f" /]