PSV opened its new Champions League campaign with a 1:1 draw against Šahtjor in Ajndhoven, settling for a point after a match that shifted quickly after halftime. Before the match, PSV had come in on the back of a big Erediviziji win at Ajaks, but its first European test ended without the home victory it wanted.
Šahtjor, which arrived in Ajndhoven as the leader of its domestic championship, struck first in the 45th minute. Glejker Mendoza gave the visitors a 1:0 lead just before the break, putting PSV under pressure heading into the second half.
Dest answers right away
PSV did not wait long to respond. Two minutes into the second half, Dest scored to make it 1:1 and bring the home side level early in the 57th minute after the restart. That goal changed the tone of the match, giving PSV momentum and forcing Šahtjor to spend more time defending.
As the game moved into the final stages, PSV pressed more and tried to turn the equalizer into a winner. Even so, Šahtjor held firm, and the match finished 1:1. For PSV, it was a reminder that strong domestic form does not always carry immediately into Europe. For Šahtjor, the draw was a solid away result after taking the lead and spending much of the night with a chance to leave with all three points.
What the result means
The score line leaves PSV with work to do early in the group stage, especially at home, where taking three points can matter later in the campaign. The positive for PSV is that Dest’s equalizer came quickly and kept the team in the match. The challenge now is turning that kind of response into a result before the pressure builds in the next round of games.
