The former Rangers striker was the focal point of the Champions League action.
PSV Eindhoven defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 3-2 at the Philips Stadion Friday night in the UEFA Champions League, with former Rangers forward Malik Tillman at the centre of an incredible late comeback.
The Dutch powerhouses appeared destined to lose badly at home after Oleksandr Zubkov (37) and Danylo Sikan (8) gave them a 2-0 halftime deficit against the Ukrainian team, with Peter Bosz’s Eindhoven team playing poorly for most of the match.
When Shakhtar was reduced to 10 men 20 minutes from time after Brazilian defender Pedrinho was given a straight red card for a late tackle on Johan Bakayoko, PSV’s hopes of making it to the round of 16 were in jeopardy, as they had only won one of their first four Champions League games.
With three minutes left, former Rangers player Tillman cut the deficit as the Dutch powerhouses surged ahead with a deft low free-kick that slipped in at the near post and fooled Shaktar goalie Dmytro Riznyk. But with ten seconds left on regular time, the American would go one better, sending the home crowd into raptures with a 25-yard equaliser.
Then, in the last minute of injury time, Tillman’s fellow American teammate Ricardo Pepi stabbed home from close range to secure the most unlikely of late victories and move his team into 18th place in the table, completing one of the biggest comebacks in Champions League history.
The 22-year-old has been strongly linked to several English Premier League clubs ahead of the January transfer window. New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is rumoured to have made him a top target. He won the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award during his season-long loan at Ibrox during the 2022–23 season. Strong interest has also been attributed to Aston Villa.
As the battle for last 16 qualifying intensifies, PSV’s thrilling late victory puts them ahead of Scottish champions Celtic in the League Phase table on goal differential.
