Warm welcome, cold shower for Advocaat at winning PSV

PSV joined the last four of the KNVB Cup tournament without having to exert too much effort. ADO Den Haag, led by Dick Advocaat, was brushed aside 3-1.

The close embrace between the now 75-year-old Advocaat and PSV coach Ruud van Nistelrooij just before the start of the game spoke volumes. Both knew each other from their time as national coach and national team international and showed respect for each other.

There was plenty of respect for Advocaat this evening, as he unexpectedly returned to Eindhoven in the latter days of his impressive coaching career. There where he won the KNVB Cup with PSV in 1996 and the national title a year later.

In late November, he stepped in at ‘his’ ADO Den Haag, which was diligently searching for a successor to the sacked Dirk Kuijt. Advocaat took the plunge, not for the first time in his career, and joined the club where he once caused furor as a player.

Since his arrival, ADO got some color on its cheeks again. Indeed, the third period title is up for grabs for the current number eleven of the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. With two games to go in that period, against Heracles Almelo and TOP Oss, ADO is on top.

Partly for this reason, Advocaat threw his eleven together. Compared to last Sunday’s meeting with FC Den Bosch, there were as many as seven new players in the starting lineup. Among others, Thomas Verheydt and Joey Sleegers remained on the bench.

So the red carpet was actually rolled out for PSV, which incidentally did not start in the strongest lineup either. Xavi Simons, for example, was well wrapped up on the reserve bench. There was no need to bring him in, either.

After all, in the blink of an eye it was 2-0. First Johan Bakayoko popped through Dhoraso Klas (ADO) and not much later Guus Til worked the ball in on a Jarrad Branthwaite pass.

A much stronger PSV had chances for more, but it wasn’t until 55 minutes that the next goal fell. And not just any goal. Luuk de Jong laid the ball off to Ibrahim Sangaré, who kicked the ball rock hard into the top corner.

ADO did something back a minute later through Malid Sellouki, another clever goal, but that was all. PSV goalkeeper Joël Drommel, who is under the crossbar for the time being due to a knee injury suffered by Walter Benítez, did not have to return to action.

It remained 3-1, allowing ADO, surprisingly too strong for Go Ahead Eagles a round earlier, to focus fully on the league and reaching the playoffs. A goal Advocaat had already set himself before the meeting with PSV.