May 18, 2025 | Title extension on the last matchday
1 min readOn 18 May 2025, the last competitive match of the 2024/2025 season was played. PSV went as the league leader to Sparta Rotterdam after the team of Peter Bosz had won the top spot earlier that week following a win over Heracles Almelo and a draw by Ajax at FC Groningen.
Because of this, PSV played the championship match against Sparta for the second season in a row. In May 2024, Bosz's team became champions for the 25th time in the club's history after a 4-2 home win over the Rotterdam side, and more than a year later PSV had to keep a cool head in Spangen.
At Het Kasteel, Peter Bosz's men got off to a good start. Despite a number of big chances, it ultimately took until the 27th minute for Ivan Perisic to head in the 0-1 from Olivier Boscagli's cross.
The goal by Perisic came at a good moment since Ajax had gone 1-0 ahead at home against FC Twente just a few seconds earlier via Jordan Henderson. A few minutes later, the same Perisic was close to 0-2, but saw his effort turned away by Nick Olij.
After that, Luuk de Jong was also close to making it 0-2, but the striker saw his effort once again turned away by Olij. Shortly before halftime, Tobias Lauritsen for Sparta was still close to 1-1, but his shot also went wide of the PSV goal and as a result, both teams went into the break with a 0-1 score.
After the break, PSV seemed to be awarded a penalty in the 48th minute when Malik Tillman went down. After intervention by VAR, referee Serdar Gözübüyük decided to overturn the penalty and thus PSV did not get an ideal chance to make it 0-2.
In minute 52, Sparta equalized through Gjivai Zechiël, but a few minutes later it was Luuk de Jong who put PSV back ahead 1-2 and thus put PSV back on course for the league title. After this goal, Bosz’s team was hardly ever in danger again, and in minute 84 it was Tillman who fired PSV definitively to the league title by driving the 1-3 hard into the back of the net.
Comments7
VAR giving no penalty after Tillman went down is still weird tbh. But fair, the build-up and then De Jong + Tillman finishing made it irrelevant.
That start with Perisic in the 27th minute was so clutch 🔥. Also big respect to Olij for keeping it 0-2 at bay, PSV looked fully in control after De Jong made it 1-2.
I hate how it almost got shaky after 1-2, Sparta still created enough to scare you. But honestly, once we survived that penalty check, the game plan worked, Bosz-ball in the end. Clean title hold, despite the chances coming from both sides.
Die VAR-momenten in de 48e zijn echt zuur... Tillman gaat naar beneden en dan terugdraaien. Maar ok, het was blijkbaar niet te overtuigen, want daarna pakt Luuk gewoon door. Lets gooo PSV! ⚽🔥
Die goal van Perisic op 27e minuut was echt perfect timing. Ajax scoorde net, en PSV zette meteen de toon. Nick Olij redde wel twee keer, anders was het al voor rust klaar.
That VAR moment was so stressful... dont give me hope then take it away 😅. Still, Perisic scoring early and De Jong finishing in transition is exactly why we ride with this team. 1-3 in minute 84 voelt als pure title DNA. 🚀⚽
That 0-2 being denied by Olij was pure stress, but Perisic scoring early is exactly what you want in a title match. The VAR moment at 48'... yeah no penalty, and somehow PSV kept control anyway. 1-3 with Tillman was ice cold, love it 🔥