Luuk De Jong made sure PSV Eindhoven started their Europa League campaign with a win after his first-half penalty was enough to claim a 1-0 victory over Estoril.
De Jong stepped up in the 26th minute and scored from the spot after Adam Maher had been brought down by Luis Mano.
The 24-year-old forward stroked the ball into the bottom righthand corner and past Estoril keeper Pawel Kieszek to give his side the lead in a Group E game which had few other chances of note.
Georginio Wijnaldum almost got PSV off to the perfect start when he sent a shot over the bar in only the third minute before Luciano Narsingh's curling strike narrowly went wide.
Maher tested Kieszek twice in the early stages as PSV dominated possession before the only goal of the game, which De Jong converted after Maher was tripped in the box.
Estoril's Jailton Kuca had a shot blocked by Karim Rekik just after the hour mark in a rare attempt on goal by the visitors as PSV keeper Jeroen Zoet was rarely tested.
Wijnaldum sent another chance over the bar in the closing stages as PSV looked to seal the win, but in the end the lone goal was enough to start their Europa League campaign in the best possible way.
ends
UEFA Europa League Standings
POS | Team | GP | GD | PTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Real Sociedad | 6 | +8 | 15 |
2 | Manchester United | 6 | +7 | 15 |
3 | Sheriff Tiraspol | 6 | -6 | 6 |
4 | Omonia Nicosia | 6 | -9 | 0 |
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