PSV vs Arsenal result, score, highlights as Vertessen cancels out Nketiah goal to close Champions League group

Dom Farrell

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PSV vs Arsenal result, score, highlights as Vertessen cancels out Nketiah goal to close Champions League group image

Eddie Nketiah marked his maiden Champions League start with a first goal in the competition as Arsenal shared an entertaining 1-1 draw with PSV in Eindhoven.

Both sides were already through to the knockout stages and, with top spot guaranteed for the Gunners in Group B, Mikel Arteta was able to shuffle his pack.

The Eredivisie leaders made most of the early running, with USA international Ricardo Pepi denied by a last-ditch block from Gabriel.

But Arsenal grew into the contest and, in the 41st minute, Reiss Nelson exchanged passes with Cedric Soares to find Nketiah. The England international took a fine first touch before clipping a left-footed shot beyond Walter Benitez for his sixth goal of the season.

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Vertessen headed against the outside of the post during the first half and his clipped shot against the inside of the right upright from Pepi's pass early in the second half spun across goal and nestled in Aaron Ramsdale's net.

There were late chances for both teams to win it, with PSV substitute Guus Til shanking a shot wastefully across goal before Leandro Trossard drew a superb save from Walter Benitez in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Jakub Kiwior, who earlier had a header ruled out because Gabriel was offside and interfering with play, hacked the rebound off target.

PSV vs Arsenal final score

  Fulltime Goalscorers
PSV 1 Vertessen '50
Arsenal 1 Nketiah '42

Lineups:

PSV (formation, 4-3-3): 1. Walter Benitez (GK) — 3. Jordan Teze, 5. Andre Ramalho, 4. Armando Obispo, 17. Mauro Junior — 10. Malik Tillman (20. Guus Til), 30. Patrick van Aanholt, 34. Ismael Saibari (8. Sergino Dest) — 11. Johan Bakayoko (Isaac Babadi), 14. Ricardo Pepi, 32. Yorbe Vertessen.

Arsenal (formation, 4-3-3): 1. Aaron Ramsdale (GK) — 17. Cedric Soares (4. Ben White), 2. William Saliba (41. Declan Rice), 6. Gabriel, 15. Jakub Kiwior — 25. Mohamed Elneny (8. Martin Odegaard), 20. Jorginho, 29. Kai Havertz (10. Emile Smith Rowe) — 24. Reiss Nelson (9. Gabriel Jesus), 14. Eddie Nketiah, 19. Leandro Trossard.

Nketiah makes his case as Jesus looks on

Gabriel Jesus' benefit to Arsenal goes far beyond mere goals, even if not to the extent that the Brazil international should give interviews about goals not being his forte. For all the tireless, shrewd pressing and slick link-up play, Jesus can go through prolonged hot and cold streaks. Two Premier League goals midway through December shows he's been running cold for a while.

A return of four Champions League goals in as many appearances gives his overall season return a better look, but Nketiah has managed five already in the Premier League and his fine finish tonight brought him level with Jesus in all competitions. The voices suggesting Arsenal need a 25-goal-a-season striker is not exactly getting quieter, but such men do not grow on trees. Most well-run clubs find solutions from within at this time of year and, right now, Nketiah doesn't look like too much of a downgrade on Arteta's starting centre-forward.

Arteta takes leaf from Guardiola book to disappoint Arsenal fans

Arteta taking the lead from his old Manchester City boss has generally yielded handsome dividends in North London, but a move from the Pep Guardiola playbook tonight left supporters disappointed. There was plenty of excitement about teenagers Ethan Nwaneri, Reuell Walters and Lino Sousa taking their places on the bench for this dead rubber. Walters not starting felt a little hard to fathom as Cedric Soares — an experienced player with no discernible future at Arsenal — played and was partly culpable for PSV's equaliser and duly removed.

On in his place came… Ben White. Declan Rice slotted in at centre-back in place of William Saliba and club captain Martin Odegaard replaced the injured Mohamed Elneny in the same round of changes. Jesus and Emile Smith Rowe entered the fray late on as Arteta chased a win that would have meant nothing on paper but a return to form after the weekend loss to Aston Villa. And that actually means a lot, as far as the manger is concerned.

It might cause fans to roll their eyes when they're denied the perfect opportunity to see the next generation in action but, Arteta clearly wants all senior appearances to be completely merited. He wants Arsenal to be a remorseless winning machine and, tonight, that meant no room for sentiment.

Mixed returns as Ricardo Pepi gets his Champions League chance

Pepi has already secured himself a little piece of PSV history. His name will forever be associated with this European campaign after his last-gasp goal completed a sensational turnaround at Sevilla to seal qualification. However, until tonight, all 19 of his Eredivisie and Champions League appearances this term had come from the bench.

Peter Bosz handed the 20-year-old USMNT forward his chance and he had a glorious opportunity to send a packed Philips Stadion into raptures in the fourth minute. Gabriel's block at close quarters was remarkable but, four yards from goal, Pepi should have left him with no chance. It was an awful miss.

Impressively, the youngster shook that miss off to lead the line intelligently, often playing a key role in PSV's lightning counter-attacks. He delayed too much on the end of one of those before halftime, allowing Saliba to get a challenge in, but his throughball for Vertessen left arguably the best centre-back in the Premier League right now chewing on the turf. All in all, another step in the right direction for the El Paso native.

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PSV vs Arsenal as it happened, highlights, and commentary

Fulltime: Well, given that game had nothing riding on it, that was really rather entertaining. PSV arguably shaded it and certainly deserved the draw that Yorbe Vertessen's early second-half goal secured. Eddie Nketiah scored a fine goal, which does him no harm in a season where Gabriel Jesus isn't ripping up any trees. Both teams are through, with Arsenal as group winners, but we knew that before kickoff. Thanks very much for joining us.

90th minute+7: ARSENAL ALMOST WIN IT! Trossard wriggles into space inside the box and Benitez saves brilliantly. The rebound falls to Kiwior, which is ultimately a very handy state of affairs for PSV.

90th minute+6: Junior gets hold of a shot from distance but Ramsdale sees it all the way and makes a routine save.

90th minute+1: Into six minutes of added time. Can we find a winner?

89th minute: Gabriel totally misses an interception halfway. Substitute Til with a chance to win it but he makes a hash of his finish, smashing wildly across goal. A moment to forget for all concerned.

88th minute: Jesus is coming on with Smith Rowe. Nelson and Havertz making way. Arteta really wants to win this.

86th minute: Emile Smith Rowe is getting to come on. A very welcome return from injury. 

83rd minute: VAR check complete: No goal. The onfield call is upheld. Kiwior did indeed convert, but Gabriel was all sorts of involved in play.

81st minute: INTO THE NET FOR ARSENAL... BUT THE OFFSIDE FLAG IS UP. There's a VAR check. Martin Odegaard's free-kick was aimed towards Gabriel, who was definitely offside. Kiwior, who appeared to be onside headed home as he leapt with the Brazilian. 

78th minute: Tillman thinks he's been held by Kiwior in the Arsenal box. The referee rightly disagrees.

74th minute: Dest comes on for Saibari, while Bakayoko makes way for the exciting PSV teenager Babadi. Bakayoko doesn't look delighted about that. He was enjoying himself out there.

72nd minute: Rice gets up to head Bakayoko's delivery away with Pepi lurking.

71st minute: Bakayoko gets Arsenal scrambling, Jorginho brings him down unceremoniously and PSV have a free-kick in a dangerous position on the right-hand side of the penalty area.

66th minute: PSV HIT THE POST AGAIN! Saibari gets the better of makeshift centre-back Rice. The Arsenal man gets a foot in to deflect the shot that Ramsdale touches onto the inside of his right post. The ball bounces to safety and Arsenal get away with one.

65th minute: Nelson bustles into the box, a nice little stepover to outfox Obispo and he rattles a shot into the side netting. Again that has the Gunners' faithful at the other end jumping.

62nd minute: Oh no, that's Elneny's race run. The midfielder has had a wretched time with injuries lately and that looks like his hamstring has gone. Odegaard comes on in his place, with Rice and White replacing Soares and White. That'll be Rice at centre-back.

59th minute: Nketiah muscles his way onto a Soares cross at the back post. The ball trickles behind and his the netting. The Arsenal fans at the other end of the ground briefly thought that had gone in.

57th minute: PSV sweep forward again. The space between Arsenal's midfield and defence is allowing them to do damage in transitions. Trossard is a little bit unsure of his positioning and heads behind. A slightly frantic passage follows, with Van Aanholt having a drive from distance blocked.

50th minute: GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Yorbe Vertessen!!!!!

Vertessen hit the post in the first half and does so again here, but his shot on the end of Pepi's pass bounces across the goal and nestles in the left corner. That's a clinical finish. Arsenal have ambled into this half a bit and were undone by a straight ball through the middle, with Saliba uncharacteristically caught out.

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47th minute: Tillman drives forward from midfield. Bakayoko sets up Vertessen for a shot from outside the box but it's wide from the PSV attacker.

46th minute: We're back underway. No changes for either side.

Halftime: PSV provided plenty of attacking threat but a much-changed Arsenal grew into the game and Reiss Nelson and Edde Nketiah combined for the latter to score a fine goal shortly before halftime. See you back here shortly.

45+2 minute+2: More incisive work from Bakayoko. He's so direct. Ramsdale does well to turn his shot behind and Nketiah clears the Belgium youngster's right-wing corner.

45th minute+1: There's just been a VAR check for a potential PSV penalty. Jorginho was faintly, sort of holding Saibari's shirt, but there's nothing in that. If that had been given Mikel Arteta would have been howling "clear and obvious" into the sky until the end of time.

43rd minute: PSV seek an instant response. Unsurprisingly the livewire Bakayoko is involved but Pepi is off-target when he meets his right-wing cross at the near post.

42nd minute: GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Eddie Nketiah!!!!!

Well, there's some pretty meaningful contact. Nelson attacks PSV from the inside right position, plays a one-two with Soares and finds Nketiah. The England international takes a touch to get the ball out of his feet and clips a left-footed shot past Benitez all in the blink of an eye. A textbook centre-forward's finish.

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41st minute: Trossard gets a ball in from the left. It looks like a good chance for Nketiah but the stooping striker fails to make any meaningful contact.

35th minute: Glorious move through midfield by PSV, which is started towards the right-back position by Bakayoko. Pepi and Saibari exchange passes but the weight of each ball is a little off and it allows Saliba to get back and block Pepi's resulting shot. Arsenal see the danger out from the resulting corner.

32nd minute: Another cross that Arsenal don't defend especially well. Handily for them, on this occasion, the ball breaks to Teze and he wallops it into orbit.

29th minute: Ohhhhh, close! Elneny wriggles away from Tillman in midfield and arrows a low, swerving shot that clips the outside of the left-hand post. Benitez was scrambling and I don't think he'd have got there if the Egypt international's strike had been on target.

25th minute: Better from Arsenal. A slick move ends you with Trossard finding a little space down the left. His lofted ball to the back post is beyond Havertz.

22nd minute: Now Bakayoko goes close for the hosts! The Belgium international dances past a fairly limp challenge from his compatriot Trossard, sees things open up from 25 yards and hits a vicious shot swerving just past the far top corner.

19 mins: OFF THE POST! Teze's cross is headed towards goal by Vertessen, but it strikes the upright and bounces away. Ramsdale may have had that covered, anyway.

18 mins: Trossard cuts in from the left and wins a free-kick for obstruction. His delivery is decent, but Havertz is under pressure and can't turn his header on target.

13 mins: Some concern here for Ramsdale, who's asked for treatment on his right ankle. He won't want his Champions League debut to end after less than a quarter of an hour. He seems okay to continue for now.

10 mins: Nelson releases Nketiah on the counter, and the striker's shot is blocked behind for a corner by Ramalho. It's a poor one from Trossard, but Cedric Soares covers the space well to snuff out a quick PSV break.

6 mins: How has Pepi not scored?? It's a lovely break that ends in Bakayoko's low cross to Van Aanholt. Saliba does just enough to slide in and intercept, and as the ball falls to Pepi, Gabriel sticks out a leg to prevent a certain goal!

4 mins: As you might expect, it's been a quiet start to the game. Ramsdale just tried a terrific long pass to Leandro Trossard, who couldn't keep it in play. That would've been some early pass!

Kickoff

We're underway!

5 mins prior to kickoff: The teams are emerging from the tunnel in Eindhoven. The pressure might be off these teams in terms of qualification, but there are plenty of players who will want to deliver a statement performance, not least USMNT forward Ricardo Pepi.

25 mins prior to kickoff: Aaron Ramsdale returns to the Arsenal XI tonight. It's been a tough campaign for the England international after losing his place to David Raya. However, the on-loan Brentford goalkeeper was once again pretty shaky during the 1-0 weekend defeat to in-form Aston Villa. An assured showing from Ramsdale tonight would certainly keep that conversation rumbling on.

Aaron Ramsdale
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45 mins prior to kickoff: Arsenal are through thanks to four wins out of five in the group stage so far. Victory tonight would equal the five victories achieved by Arsene Wenger's Gunners in 2005/06. It is the only time other time Arsenal have won that many group games in a single campaign and they plotted a path all the way to the final that season.

1 hr 5 mins prior to kickoff: This is what the PSV XI looks like. USMNT forward Ricardo Pepi leading the line for the hosts as one of five changes to the side that defeated Heerenveen 2-0 to maintain their 100% Eredivisie record.

1 hr 10 mins prior to kickoff: Here's the Arsenal team. Maybe a little stronger than anticipated, with first-choice centre-back pairing William Saliba and Gabriel both starting.

1 hr 20 mins prior to kickoff: Team news will be with us shortly and we're anticipating a first Arsenal appearance for Ethan Nwaneri since the teenager became his club's youngest ever player with an appearance off the bench against Brentford last season. Attacking midfielder Nwaneri still doesn't turn 17 until next March. As you can see from the post below, he's coming into this one in pretty good form.

1 hr 40 mins prior to kickoff: There's nothing like a Champions League night with all to play for and everything on the line. Alternatively, how about getting your teeth into a Champions League night with nothing to play for and nothing on the line? Arsenal are guaranteed top spot in Group B, with PSV assured of finishing as runners-up. As such, we might get a Christmas Party of a game, with both coaches trying funky things and some unfamiliar faces making names for themselves. It might just be fun. Hang around to find out.

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2 hours prior to kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live blog coverage of PSV against Arsenal in tonight's Champions League game.

PSV vs Arsenal lineups, team news

PSV head coach Peter Bosz has given some of his fringe players a chance in this game, with key duo Hirving Lozano and Noa Lang ruled out. Sergino Dest is among the substitutes but his USMNT teammate Ricardo Pepi starts in attack.

PSV lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Benitez (GK) — Teze, Ramalho, Obispo, Mauro Junior — Tillman, Van Aanholt, Saibari — Bakayoko, Pepi, Vertessen.

Arteta's injury list is unchanged for this game with Jurrien Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Fabio Vieira all sidelined until 2024. However, this clash presents an ideal chance for the Gunners to offer a break for key names who have been ever-present this season. Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah will are among those handed starts.

Arsenal lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Ramsdale (GK) — Soares, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior — Elneny, Jorginho, Havertz — Nelson, Nketiah, Trossard.

PSV vs Arsenal live stream, TV channel

The PSV versus Arsenal match from the Champions League kicks off at 6:45 p.m. local time from Philips Stadion in Eindhoven.

Below are the corresponding times, TV channels and live streams to watch the match in some of the major regions around the world.

  Date Kickoff time TV Streaming
USA Tue, Dec. 12 12:45 p.m. ET TUDN USA Fubo, Paramount+, ViX, Univision NOW
Canada Tue, Dec. 12 12:45 p.m. ET — DAZN
UK Tue, Dec. 12 5:45 p.m. GMT TNT Sports 2 discovery+
Australia Wed, Dec. 13 4:45 a.m. AEDT — Stan Sport
India Wed, Dec. 13 11:15 p.m. IST — Sony LIV,
JioTV

Dom Farrell

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Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.