2023 KNVB Cup final

2023 KNVB Cup Final
De Kuip in Rotterdam hosted the final.
Event2022–23 KNVB Cup
After extra time
PSV won 2–3 on penalties
Date30 April 2023 (2023-04-30)
VenueDe Kuip, Rotterdam
RefereeDennis Higler[1]
Attendance40,650[2]

The 2023 KNVB Cup Final was a football match between Eredivisie clubs Ajax and PSV, which took place on 30 April 2023 at De Kuip, Rotterdam.[3] It is the final match of the 2022–23 KNVB Cup, the 105th season of the annual Dutch national football cup competition.

PSV won the match 2–3 on penalties, after a 1–1 draw in regular time and extra time.[2] With PSV winning their eleventh title, they secured a place in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League play-off round and the 2023 Johan Cruyff Shield.

Route to the final

Ajax Round PSV
Opponent
Result
Opponent
Result
Bye First round Bye
Den Bosch
2–0 (A)
Second round Sparta Rotterdam
2–1 (A)
Twente
1–0 (A)
Round of 16 Emmen
3–1 (H)
De Graafschap
3–0 (A)
Quarter-finals ADO Den Haag
3–1 (H)
Feyenoord
2–1 (A)
Semi-finals SV Spakenburg
2–1 (A)

Match

The 2023 KNVB Cup Final was seen as important for both Ajax and PSV, as they were trailing by resepectively 8 points and 11 points in the Eredivisie to Feyenoord and were expected to miss out on the national championship.[4]

PSV decided before the game to play Joël Drommel, the team's second goal keeper, a move by coach Ruud van Nistelrooy that was heavily criticised.[5] In a final that was described by Dutch media as "low level" and "sloppy".[6] The first half was characterised by many altercations between players and four yellow cards. In the 42nd minute of the first half, Ajax went ahead 1–0 after an own goal by Jarrad Branthwaite after he touched a shot by Steven Bergwijn. In the 67th minute, Hazard scored the tying goal after receiving the assist from Xavi Simons. There were eleven yellow cards handed out during the playing time, a record for most cards in a cup final.[7] In the following penalty series, Fabio Silva made the winning penalty.

As a result, PSV won its 11th Cup title, and the team was welcomed by thousands of supporters in the Philips Stadion the same night.[8] For Ajax, at the moment of the final third in the 2022–23 Eredivisie, the final loss meant another disappointing feat to their season, with manager John Heitinga reacting after the game: "This hurts. We have to process this.".[9]

Ajax1−1 (a.e.t.)PSV
  • Branthwaite 42' (o.g.)
Report
Penalties
2−3
Attendance: 40,650[2]
Referee: Dennis Higler
Ajax
PSV
GK 12 Gerónimo Rulli
RB 19 Jorge Sánchez  30'  46'
CB 2 Jurriën Timber
CB 4 Edson Álvarez  37'
LB 57 Jorrel Hato  75'
CM 21 Florian Grillitsch  69'
CM 6 Davy Klaassen  116'
RW 23 Steven Berghuis  75'
AM 10 Dušan Tadić (c)
LW 7 Steven Bergwijn  45'  116'
CF 9 Brian Brobbey
Substitutes:
GK 1 Maarten Stekelenburg
GK 22 Remko Pasveer
DF 3 Calvin Bassey  68'
DF 5 Owen Wijndal  78'  95'
DF 15 Devyne Rensch  46'  60'
DF 25 Youri Baas
MF 26 Youri Regeer
MF 38 Kristian Hlynsson
MF 41 Silvano Vos  116'
FW 18 Lorenzo Lucca
FW 35 Francisco Conceição  75'
FW 39 Mika Godts  116'
Manager:
John Heitinga
GK 16 Joël Drommel
RB 3 Jordan Teze  45'  76'
CB 5 André Ramalho  79'
CB 22 Jarrad Branthwaite
LB 30 Patrick van Aanholt  120+1'
CM 6 Ibrahim Sangaré
CM 23 Joey Veerman
RW 27 Johan Bakayoko  59'
AM 20 Guus Til  59'
LW 7 Xavi Simons  90+2'  98'
CF 9 Luuk de Jong (c)  43'  106'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Walter Benítez
GK 24 Boy Waterman
DF 18 Olivier Boscagli
DF 29 Phillipp Mwene  76'
DF 48 Fedde Leysen
DF 53 Jenson Seelt
MF 15 Érick Gutiérrez  98'
FW 10 Fábio Silva  106'
FW 11 Thorgan Hazard  59'
FW 21 Anwar El Ghazi  59'  93'
FW 33 Sávio
FW 42 Fodé Fofana
Manager:
Ruud van Nistelrooy

Assistant referees:[1]
Joost van Zuilen
Mario Diks
Fourth official:[1]
Sander van der Eijk
Video assistant referee:[1]
Rob Dieperink
Assistant video assistant referee:[1]
Freek Vandeursen

Match rules[10]

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Maximum of twelve named substitutes.
  • Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time.[note 1]

Notes

  1. ^ Each team was only given three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Dennis Higler fluit finale Ajax - PSV in Rotterdam" [Dennis Higler to referee final between Ajax and PSV in Rotterdam] (in Dutch). Royal Dutch Football Association. 24 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "PSV wint na strafschoppen van Ajax in bekerfinale vol irritaties en opstootjes" [PSV beats Ajax after penalty kicks in cup final full off irritations and fights] (in Dutch). 30 April 2023. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Ajax Amsterdam vs. PSV Eindhoven - Football Match Stats - April 30, 2023 - ESPN". Archived from the original on 24 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  4. ^ Giesbers, Tim (28 April 2023). "Voorbeschouwing: wie gaat er met de KNVB Beker vandoor?". Soccernews.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Vaak bekritiseerd, nu is Drommel de bekerheld: 'Het voelt echt als revanche'". nos.nl (in Dutch). 30 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  6. ^ "PSV wint slordige finale KNVB Beker na strafschoppen van Ajax". ESPN.nl (in Dutch). 30 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Deze Ajax - PSV is de bekerfinale met de meeste kaarten ooit". www.vi.nl (in Dutch). 30 April 2023. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Duizenden supporters onthalen PSV-selectie met vuurwerk en gezang". nos.nl (in Dutch). 1 May 2023. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Heitinga en Ajax met lege handen: 'Deze komt aan, uiteindelijk gaan we ervan leren'". nos.nl (in Dutch). 30 April 2023. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Reglement voor het toernooi om de TOTO KNVB Beker seizoen 2022/'23" [Regulations for the tournament of the TOTO KNVB Beker season 2022/'23] (PDF). KNVB.nl (in Dutch). Royal Dutch Football Association. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2022.