PSV Start Title Lap with Win Over Sparta

Pepi's late strike sends PSV past Sparta

PSV start title celebrations with 2-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam; Ricardo Pepi's header gives them lead, Ismael Saibari seals win as Eredivisie champions take first step in month-long lap of honour.

PSV Eindhoven beat Sparta Rotterdam 2-0, with Ricardo Pepi scoring just before halftime...

PSV Eindhoven, the reigning Eredivisie champions, kicked off their month-long lap of honor with a 2-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam. This marks their first game since claiming their 27th league title last weekend.

In a surprising move, 18-year-old Belgian talent Noah Fernandez led the midfield, replacing the injured Joey Veerman in the starting lineup.

After Sparta got a handful of early chances, PSV took over and started peppering Joël Drommel's goal. Ricardo Pepi, Paul Wanner, Ivan Perisic, and Ismael Saibari all tried but failed in their attempts to open the scoring.

Pepi still put the opener on the board in the first minute of added time, expertly heading in a cross from Guus Til to give the visitors the lead on the brink of halftime.

Scored his 14th goal of the season today, bringing his total to 40 for PSV 🤩#SPAPSV pic.twitter.com/jKavtzW5yP

— PSV (@PSV) April 11, 2026

PSV took a big step back after the break and came agonisingly close to conceding the equaliser when Joshua Kitolano couldn't properly fire the ball at goal and instead tapped it at Matej Kovar with Sparta's biggest chance of the game.

We hebben het van de week al vaker gezongen, maar: 𝐄𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 🥰#SPAPSV pic.twitter.com/DCH0m9LxKr

— PSV (@PSV) April 11, 2026

Without convincing, PSV doubled the lead late in the second half via in-form midfielder Ismael Saibari, who put the final score of 2-0 up on the scoreboard at Het Kasteel.