The first semifinal of the 2025/26 KNVB Beker campaign was between league leaders PSV and fourth-placed NEC Nijmegen, who were looking to end a four-game winless streak.
In front of their own fans, NEC got off to a dream start when PSV stopper Matej Kovar failed to safely parry a shot from Sami Ouaissa away and handed Bryan Linssen a golden opportunity to chip the ball over Kovar in the rebound and earn NEC the lead after six minutes.
A pair of chances for Myron Boadu and Joey Veerman were denied by Cillessen, but a third from Ismael Saibari became too much for NEC, who conceded the equaliser ten minutes after Linssen's opener through a header of the Moroccan midfield maestro.
PSV took their first lead of the evening very quickly after Saibari's equaliser - Romanian winger Dennis Man was allowed to safely pass through NEC's defence and slotted the ball in Cillessen's bottom corner to put PSV up one after 19 minutes.
An extremely entertaining first half saw NEC pick up the pace and pepper Kovar's goal with shots from Eli Dasa and Noe Lebreton, whose shot was blocked but fell favourably for Dasa, who volleyed the ball in Kovar's far corner.
After four goals, all the action in the first half didn't seem to be done just yet when Bryan Linssen came close to adding another for NEC shortly before half-time. Referee Serdar Gözübüyük had the whistle in his mouth to blow for half-time, but allowed PSV to cross the pitch one more time and create a chance for Saibari, whose last-ditch effort hit Cillessen's post.
The second half saw both sides continue their offensive style of play and create several chances early on. Myron Boadu and Ivan Perisic were denied by Cillessen, while Sami Ouaissa saw Kovar stop his effort after nearly an hour.
Another quick attack from NEC was fruitful at last, with Lebreton's cross tapped in by Basar Önal at the far post to give the hosts the lead again after an hour.
The score was close to changing twice in the space of just five minutes, with Jasper Cillessen brilliantly saving a close-range effort from Armando Obispo, and Youssef El Kachati missing a one-on-one with Kovar after being gifted the ball by Mauro Junior.
PSV slowed down in the latter stages of the second half and got closer to conceding a fourth than scoring a third, with only Obispo taking Cillessen under fire in the final 15 minutes, despite PSV having 75% ball possession.
Ivan Perisic dreamt of putting PSV alongside NEC with just one minute to spare, but the Croatian's effort flew over Cillessen's goal as time ran out for the reigning champions.
NEC, who've not won the Dutch Cup in their history, clinched their sixth KNVB Beker final spot in club history - their first since 2024 - with a stunning 3-2 victory over champions-to-be PSV. AZ or Telstar await in the final, which will take place on April 19th in De Kuip in Rotterdam.
Check out all the match statistics on Flashscore
