While the Dutch leaders rallied from behind for a crucial point, their rivals PSV Eindhoven blew away a two-goal lead at Feyenoord.
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Erik ten Hag is on the brink of winning the Eredivisie title with Ajax after results went in his favour this weekend. While the Dutch leaders rallied from behind for a crucial point, their rivals PSV Eindhoven blew away a two-goal lead at Feyenoord. As a result, Ajax have their four-point lead at the top of the table intact. Hence, they are just a win away from getting their hands on the coveted league trophy. Ten Hag was appointed by Manchester United as their next permanent manager recently. At the end of his current tenure with the Dutch side, he will take over the big job at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, interim manager Ralf Rangnick will continue to be in charge of United till the end of the current season.
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Traveling to fifth-placed AZ Alkmaar, Ajax knew the difficult task at hand to get the three points. However, ten Hag’s men came up with a proper game plan which seemed to be working, atleast, in the first half. In-form Brian Brobbey scored three minutes before the break to put the leaders 1-0 up. However, the lead did not last for long in the second period. Just after the hour mark, Vangelis Pavlidis equalised for the hosts. With the crowd on their back, AZ started to push for the three points and got their wish granted to go in front.
In the 75th minute, Hakon Evjen put them in front, which left them on the verge of securing a massive victory over the in-form leaders. But credit to ten Hag and his men for not giving up and fighting till the end. Their reward was a late equaliser from Edson Alvarez in the 86th minute. Ajax held on to secure the crucial point on Sunday. PSV, who played later that day, now found themselves with a significant chance to close down the gap at the top of the points table.
But they also had a difficult trip to third-placed Feyenoord. Nonetheless, Roger Schmidt’s side was buoyed by the earlier result going in their favour and started the late match in terrific fashion. Cody Gapko scored twice in the opening half hour to put the visitors 2-0 up. PSV, however, were not able to build on that lead and that made them endure some nervy moments towards the end of the game. Cyriel Dessers pulled one back with four minutes remaining, as the nervousness started to spread among the supporters in the stadium. The worst happened for the visitors in the sixth minute of injury time when Dessers converted a penalty to make it 2-2.
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Ajax now have 79 points from 32 games – four ahead of PSV who have also played the same number of matches. With only two games left to play, Erik ten Hag’s boys can clinch the title as early as Wednesday night. The Dutch leaders will next take on SC Heerenveen at home in the midweek. A win in that match will seal them the league title. If they draw and PSV fail to win their match, they can still emerge as champions. If nothing goes their way on Wednesday, then they will get another opportunity on Sunday away to Vitesse Arnhem. Ten Hag, however, will be hoping to seal the league title in his final home match as Ajax manager on Wednesday, and would love to move to Old Trafford as a triple Eredivisie winner next season.
