Match Reports

Baker-Boaitey brace enough for a point against Eindhoven

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Winger's goals secure draw in International Cup.

By Charlie Hanson • 05 December 2022

By Paul Hazlewood
Benicio Baker-Boaitey's first half goal came against the run of play, after PSV had enjoyed a majority of the chances.

Benicio Baker-Boaitey netted twice for the under-21s on Monday night as they drew 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven in the Premier League International Cup.

The hosts took the lead twice but were pegged back on both occasions, as Shannon Ruth’s team dropped points in the competition for the first time.

With a number of our under-21s in Dubai for warm-weather training with the first team, Shannon Ruth made nine changes to the side that beat Monaco 3-0 in the tournament last week.

Killian Cahill was kept busy in the Albion net for much of the first half as he denied Isaac Babadi, August Flyger and Mohamed Doudah, with the latter’s effort producing the best of the Irishman’s saves. Having worked a yard of space for himself on the edge of the box, the PSV midfielder hammered an effort towards the bottom-right corner, but Cahill dived to his left to tip it around the post.

By Paul Hazlewood
Todd Miller setup Benicio Baker-Boaitey's first goal of the evening.

Having missed those chances, it will have no doubt increased the visitors’ frustration to go a goal down after half an hour. Todd Miller found Baker-Boaitey in the box, who swivelled and found the bottom-right corner from ten yards.

PSV were back on level terms four minutes after the restart as D’Leanu Arts’s low cross from the right was met by Babadi in box, who fizzed his first-time effort into the top-right corner.

Baker-Boaitey was in the right place at the right time again when he got on the end of Casper Nilsson’s lovely low cross to fire in from 12 yards and restore Albion’s lead with 25 minutes to play.

But Eindhoven levelled the scores again in the 81st minute when Jason van Duiven rose highest to nod in a cross from the left.

By Paul Hazlewood
Benicio celebrates his second goal of the evening.

The visitors looked the more likely to snatch all three points late on but Albion held on for a point to move them top of Group B.

They now have a two-month wait before they’re back in action in the competition, when they take on Sparta Prague in February.

The Albion line-up: Cahill, Nilsson, Penman, Packham ©, Jackson, Chouchane, Ifill, Everitt, Miller, Wilson (Moulton 75), Baker-Boaitey (Jenks 70).

Unused subs: Bull, Shann, Smith, Kavanagh, Albarus.