The 2023 KNVB Cup final was a football match between Eredivisie clubs Ajax and PSV, which took place on 30 April 2023 at De Kuip, Rotterdam. It is the final match of the 2022–23 KNVB Cup, the 105th season of the annual Dutch national football cup competition.
PSV won the match 2–3 on penalties, after a 1–1 draw in regular time and extra time. With PSV winning their eleventh title, they secured a place in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League play-off round and the 2023 Johan Cruyff Shield.
Route to the final
+AjaxRoundPSVByeFirst roundByeDen BoschSecond roundSparta RotterdamTwenteRound of 16EmmenDe GraafschapQuarter-finalsADO Den HaagFeyenoordSemi-finalsSV Spakenburg
Match The 2023 KNVB Cup Final was seen as important for both Ajax and PSV, as they were trailing by resepectively 8 points and 11 points in the Eredivisie to Feyenoord and were expected to miss out on the national championship.
PSV decided before the game to play Joël Drommel, the team's second goal keeper, a move by coach Ruud van Nistelrooy that was heavily criticised. In a final that was described by Dutch media as "low level" and "sloppy". The first half was characterised by many altercations between players and four yellow cards. In the 42nd minute of the first half, Ajax went ahead 1–0 after an own goal by Jarrad Branthwaite after he touched a shot by Steven Bergwijn. In the 67th minute, Hazard scored the tying goal after receiving the assist from Xavi Simons. There were eleven yellow cards handed out during the playing time, a record for most cards in a cup final. In the following penalty series, Fabio Silva made the winning penalty.
As a result, PSV won its 11th Cup title, and the team was welcomed by thousands of supporters in the Philips Stadion the same night. For Ajax, at the moment of the final third in the 2022–23 Eredivisie, the final loss meant another disappointing feat to their season, with manager John Heitinga reacting after the game: "This hurts. We have to process this.".
GK 12 Gerónimo Rulli RB 19 Jorge Sánchez CB 2 Jurriën Timber CB 4 Edson Álvarez LB 57 Jorrel Hato CM 21 Florian Grillitsch CM 6 Davy Klaassen RW 23 Steven Berghuis AM 10 Dušan Tadić (c) LW 7 Steven Bergwijn CF 9 Brian BrobbeySubstitutes: GK 1 Maarten Stekelenburg GK 22 Remko Pasveer DF 3 Calvin Bassey DF 5 Owen Wijndal DF 15 Devyne Rensch DF 25 Youri Baas MF 26 Youri Regeer MF 38 Kristian Hlynsson MF 41 Silvano Vos FW 18 Lorenzo Lucca FW 35 Francisco Conceição FW 39 Mika Godts Manager: John Heitinga GK 16 Joël Drommel RB 3 Jordan Teze CB 5 André Ramalho CB 22 Jarrad Branthwaite LB 30 Patrick van Aanholt CM 6 Ibrahim Sangaré CM 23 Joey Veerman RW 27 Johan Bakayoko AM 20 Guus Til LW 7 Xavi Simons CF 9 Luuk de Jong (c) Substitutes: GK 1 Walter Benítez GK 24 Boy Waterman DF 18 Olivier Boscagli DF 29 Phillipp Mwene DF 48 Fedde Leysen DF 53 Jenson Seelt MF 15 Érick Gutiérrez FW 10 Fábio Silva FW 11 Thorgan Hazard FW 21 Anwar El Ghazi FW 33 Sávio FW 42 Fodé FofanaManager: Ruud van Nistelrooy
Assistant referees: Joost van Zuilen Mario Diks Fourth official: Sander van der Eijk Video assistant referee: Rob Dieperink Assistant video assistant referee: Freek VandeursenMatch rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Maximum of twelve named substitutes. Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time.
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