Dzsudzsák strikes late as PSV deny Sampdoria

Balázs Dzsudzsák scored a last-minute equaliser to earn PSV Eindhoven a 1-1 draw with UC Sampdoria in their opening UEFA Europa League Group I encounter.

Fabrizio Cacciatore broke the deadlock for the visitors midway through the first half with a fine header, leaving PSV playing catch-up. The Dutch side created some decent opportunities after the break, with Ibrahim Afellay rattling a post from distance, but it looked as if all three points were heading to Genoa until Dzsudzsák struck with seconds of normal time remaining.

Both teams struggled to establish a rhythm during a subdued early phase, yet PSV were given a rude awakening when the Italian outfit took the lead after 25 minutes. Vladimir Koman whipped in a cross from the right and Cacciatore rose unmarked to nod firmly past Andreas Isaksson. Fred Rutten's charges upped the tempo but failed to seriously menace Gianluca Curci's goal before the interval.

Soon after the restart PSV threatened twice in the space of a minute. First Marcus Berg's header was deflected behind via Curci's thigh, and from the resulting corner Wilfred Bouma nodded just wide. Afellay's low shot from inside the box flew narrowly past the upright after 56 minutes, followed by long-range efforts from Dzsudzsák and Jeremain Lens which Curci parried.

Afellay came even closer after 70 minutes, his drive from 20 metres cannoning off the post with Curci beaten. The keeper, wearing No85, then had to dive low to his right to keep out a Dzsudzsák strike. Yet just when it seemed like all the home team's efforts had been in vain, the Hungarian international pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the area to fire in a deserved equaliser.