EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – When Ricardo Pepi was back in the Borderland over the summer, he told KTSM that a big reason why he wanted to go to PSV Eindhoven was to play in the UEFA Champions League.
Pepi got his wish and more on Tuesday in a 3-1 win over SK Sturm Graz that saw PSV move on to the next stage of Champions League qualifying.
In the 85th minute of the match, Pepi stepped up to the spot after a penalty was awarded moments before. As if he’d done it hundreds of times before, Pepi calmly slotted in his first PSV goal into the bottom-left corner of the goal.
Eindhoven was cruising to a Champions League win on aggregate regardless, but it’s a big goal for Pepi, who proved he could play in Europe last season for Dutch side FC Groningen. Staying in the Dutch Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven is huge for Pepi because of the opportunities it will bring at a wider level.
He didn’t score for Bundesliga side FC Augsburg when he was brought to Germany early in 2022; scoring an early goal with PSV Eindhoven could propel Pepi forward.
