The forward for the United States, Ricardo Pepi, showcased his fine form by scoring a crucial goal that led PSV Eindhoven to a 2-1 victory against Utrecht on Sunday.
Pepi’s equaliser marked his fourth consecutive goal in the Eredivisie, strengthening his bid for a starting position with the USMNT at the upcoming World Cup next summer.
PSV fell behind during the first half when Utrecht’s Mike van der Hoorn scored from a perfectly placed cross by Siebe Horemans. Although the linesman’s flag was raised initially, a VAR review confirmed van der Hoorn was onside.
The visitors regrouped in the second half, with Pepi and Sergiño Dest combining cleverly for the equaliser. Dest found space on the right side of the penalty area, making a swift pass into the six-yard box, where Pepi finished decisively into the bottom left corner.
PSV secured the victory with a goal from Ivan Perišić 15 minutes before the final whistle, executing a well-rehearsed corner routine. Joey Veerman delivered a ball to the near post, allowing Perišić to time his run perfectly and head past the goalkeeper.
With this win, Pepi and PSV extended their lead at the top of the league table to 12 points, achieving their 15th victory of the season while only dropping points in two matches.