PSV closed the gap on Ajax at the top of the Eredivisie to a single point with a dramatic comeback against Feyenoord as their rivals slumped to a 3-0 home defeat by NEC.
Ajax started the day knowing they could be crowned champions if Feyenoord won in De Kuip and they managed to win in the Johan Cruyff Arena later in the afternoon.
The signs looked good as Feyenoord raced into a 2-0 lead after 10 minutes of a match they needed to win to retain a chance of overtaking PSV for the second Champions League place.
First Igor Paixão took down a long kick-out by goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther and slid the ball past Walter Benitez, before Givairo Reid added a second from a narrow angle after Anis Hadji Moussa had jinked past the PSV defence.
PSV had to wait until the 22nd minute for their first serious effort by Malik Tillman, but Peter Bosz’s side rolled up their sleeves for the second half and quickly pulled a goal back when Ivan Perisic smashed home a loose ball in the penalty area.
Lang double
Noa Lang equalised in the 69th minute, cutting in from the left and beating Wellenreuther with a low shot in the corner.
Six minutes into injury time Reid was sent off for a desperate lunge on Lang and from the resultant free-kick Malik Tillman tapped into the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
But three minutes later Lang, who had missed a good chance for a winner in the closing stages, applied the finishing touch to Mauro Junior’s low cross to snatch the win and guarantee second place for PSV.
The defending champions had even more reasons to cheer two hours later when Ajax went down at home to three second-half goals by NEC, leaving them one point clear of PSV at the top with a vastly inferior goal difference.
NEC goalkeeper Robin Roefs played a key part in keeping the game goalless in the first half with saves from Steven Berghuis and Kenneth Taylor.
Former Ajax forward Sontje Hansen broke the dealock with a long-range strike in the 59th minute.
Brayann Pereira added a second from a tight angle after goalkeeper Remko Pasveer, back in the team after a four-month absence through injury, could only palm out a shot by Sami Ouissa, and Ouissa cut in from the right wing to supply the third eight minutes from time.
Ajax travel to Groningen on Wednesday evening before finishing their season next Sunday at home to Twente, while PSV’s final two matches are at home against Heracles and away to Sparta.
Setback for Utrecht
Utrecht missed the chance to pull level with Feyenoord in the battle for third place and spot in the Champions League play-offs as they lost 2-0 at Twente.
Michel Vlap scored the opener after the league’s top scorer Sem Steijn turned provider with a pass from the halfway line, while Twente’s second turned on a controversial decision when Daan Rots scored while Bas Kuipers was lying prone in an offside position after missing a diving header.
AZ beat in-form Groningen with goals from Sven Mijnans, Ernest Poku and Mexx Meerdink, to hold the advantage ahead of Wednesday night’s showdown for fifth place in Twente.
At the bottom of the table, Almere City’s hopes of surviving are hanging by a thread after they went down 3-0 at home to Sparta, while second-bottom RKC boosted their hopes with a 3-1 win against 10-man Heerenveen.
Sparta and Fortuna wins
The results also mean Sparta keep their hopes alive of claiming one of the last two Conference League play-off spots, which are currently occupied by Heerenveen and Fortuna Sittard.
The Limburg club took all three points against NAC after Kaj Sierhuis pounced on a some ragged defending to tap in the only goal in the 30th minute.
NAC’s survival was already guaranteed after Willem II lost at home to Heracles on Friday, with Jizz Hornkamp scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot in the 66th minute. The Tilburgers will be looking anxiously over their shoulders after RKC’s win reduced the gap between 16th and 17th place to three points.
The weekend’s only drawn match was between PEC Zwolle and Go Ahead Eagles in the IJssel derby. Younes Namli equalised for PEC after Evert Linthorst had headed the visitors into the lead early in the second half, but the result is a blow for PEC’s hopes of sneaking into the Conference League play-offs.
Results
Friday
Willem II Tilburg 1-2 Heracles Almelo
Saturday
Almere City 0-3 Sparta Rotterdam
Fortuna Sittard 1-0 NAC Breda
RKC Waalwijk 3-1 Heerenveen
Sunday
Ajax 0-3 NEC Nijmegen
AZ Alkmaar 3-0 Groningen
Feyenoord 2-3 PSV Eindhoven
PEC Zwolle 1-1 Go Ahead Eagles
Twente Enschede 2-0 Utrecht
