PSV fight back to oust ten-man Lille
Thursday, February 24, 2011
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PSV Eindhoven 3-1 LOSC Lille Métropole (agg: 5-3)
Three second-half goals sent the Dutch side through against visitors who wilted following the dismissal of scorer Pierre-Alain Frau.
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PSV Eindhoven progressed to the UEFA Europa League round of 16 after coming from behind to defeat LOSC Lille Métropole 3-1 and take the tie 5-3 on aggregate.
Despite creating plenty of chances it was PSV who conceded first, Pierre-Alain Frau striking after 22 minutes. Balázs Dzsudzsák swung the tie back in his side's favour with a clever free-kick ten minutes into the second half, swiftly followed by the dismissal of Frau and further home goals from Jeremain Lens and Marcelo.
PSV fought back from 2-0 down in France to draw last week and started well tonight. They could have gone in front after ten minutes as Stanislav Manolev fired in a dangerous low cross from the right which eluded the Lille defence, but not Marcus Berg whose low attempt from close range cannoned off the post. Ola Toivonen then headed Dzsudzsák's corner just over as the Eredivisie leaders continued to dictate the game.
Yet it was the visitors who struck first. Túlio De Melo rose to nod a goal kick beyond the PSV defence and into the path of the speedy Frau, who kept his cool to fire the ball through Andreas Isaksson's legs. Fred Rutten's men slowly reasserted themselves and visiting goalkeeper Barel Mouko needed two attempts to smother a 20-metre shot from Dzsudzsák. Toivonen then shot weakly at Mouko when released by Berg.
The pressure finally told as Dzsudzsák restored parity by firing in a free-kick from wide on the right as Mouko stood organising his wall. Things got worse for the Ligue 1 leaders seven minutes later when Frau felled Manolev to earn a second yellow card, followed by another blow as Lens rounded off a fine one-two with Berg to tap the ball into the empty net from close range.
Two became three as Marcelo rose unchallenged to head in Dzsudzsák's corner after 73 minutes and earn PSV a last-16 meeting with Rangers FC, Isaksson having averted any chance of a late Lille fightback with a stunning one-handed stop with two minutes to play.