The penultimate round of Eredivisie action took place on Wednesday evening with nine fixtures. Below is around up of all the action.
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Groningen 2-2 Ajax
10-man Groningen scored a 99th minute equaliser to deliver a huge blow to Ajax’s title hopes.
Ajax seemed to be easing to the title but in recent weeks their form has fallen apart and they went into the game against Groningen needing to win to prevent PSV from taking top spot.
The game was open from the start but it was Ajax who took the lead when Brian Brobbey set up Anton Gaaei to smash the ball low into the net. Ajax then had chances to make it 2-0 before the break but Groningen held on.
Thom van Bergen equalised early in the second half and that led to both Wout Weghorst and Davy Klaassen coming off the bench. The changes had an effect as Weghorst restored Ajax’s lead.
Steven Berghuis then had a third goal disallowed before Groningen were reduced to ten men. Luciano Valente went in hard on Jordan Henderson and was shown red. The red caused more extra time and in the 99th minute, Thijmen Blokzijl scored from a free kick to make it 2-2.
Ajax now drops below PSV in the table and they must hope for a slip up on Sunday. Ajax faces Twente at home. Groningen are 12th and remain in the race for a European playoff.
PSV Eindhoven 4-1 Heracles Almelo
PSV Eindhoven swept Heracles Almelo aside to move back to the top of the table.
PSV knew they had to win and hope for a slip up from Ajax and by half time, the win was already secured. A deflected strike from Malik Tillman made it 1-0 in the 19th minute and Ismail Saibari quickly made it 2-0.
Saibari then added a third before a lovely finish from Tillman made it 4-0 at half time. PSV then took their foot off the gas in the second half and Heracles pulled one back through Mario Engels.
PSV are now one point ahead at the top and they travel to Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday to seal the title. Heracles is in 14th and they have an outside chance of the playoffs.
Feyenoord 2-0 RKC Waalwijk
Feyenoord secured a spot in the Champions League next season after defeating RKC Waalwijk.
A win was all Feyenoord needed to secure third spot while RKC were fighting to remain in the Eredivisie. Feyenoord took until the last minute of the first half to net as Igor Paixao eased any nerves in the home crowd.
After the break Ayase Ueda netted off a pass from Paixao to seal the victory and third spot. Feyenoord are heading for the Champions League qualifiers, while RKC can begin to prepare for life in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie next season.
Twente 2-3 AZ Alkmaar
AZ Alkmaar defeated FC Twente in an entertaining clash in Enschede.
The match was a battle for fifth and the top seed going into the European playoffs. The fifth spot gets home advantage in the first playoff and then possible final.
Ruben van Bommel quickly put AZ ahead but Twente turned the game around with Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Michel Vlap netting. In first half stoppage time, a weak shot from Sven Mijnans squirmed through the legs of Lars Unnerstall and it was 2-2.
In the second half, Denso Kasius shot AZ to victory and they climbs above Twente into fifth with one game remaining. AZ face relegated Almere City while Twente travels to Ajax.
Utrecht 1-1 Sparta Rotterdam
Utrecht’s Champions League hopes were ended by Sparta Rotterdam.
Utrecht went into the game needing to win and hope that Feyenoord would slip up against RKC. However, it did not go to plan for Ron Jans side.
Tobias Lauritsen gave the visitors the lead after only 12 minutes but Paxten Aaronson did equalise before the break.
Sparta had a second goal disallowed early in the second half and there was no more goals in the game. The match did have a long delay at the end due to two medical emergencies.
Utrecht will finish fourth this season and will have a spot in Europe while Sparta are 11th and still in the race for the European playoffs.
NEC Nijmegen 3-0 NAC Breda
Bryan Linssen scored a stunning goal from his own half as NEC defeated NAC Breda.
NEC Nijmegen hammered Ajax at the weekend and their confidence was clear to show going into the game against NAC. After half an hour, they took the lead with Brayann Pereira scoring his second in two games.
At the break, Bryan Linssen came on and his second half double secured the win for the hosts. The pick of the goals was a stunning strike from his own half.
NEC are now 8th and in the European playoff spots if they win on the final day of the season. NAC Breda will end the season 15th.
Almere City 1-1 Fortuna Sittard
Almere City are officially relegated after failing to beat Fortuna Sittard.
The visitors turned up with nothing to play for except pride after it was revealed that they cannot take part in the European playoffs due to not having the required license.
Almere City will have sensed a chance to win and they took the lead through Junior Kadile.
The home side then remained ahead until the 80th minute when Bojoan Radulovic silenced the home crowd. There were no further goals and Almere City are officially down. Fortuna Sittard is 10th.
Willem II 1-2 PEC Zwolle
PEC Zwolle still have a chance of reaching the European playoffs after defeating Willem II.
There was still a chance for Willem II to drop into the bottom two going into the match so the hosts were keen to avoid defeat. However, PEC Zwolle took the lead in the 26th minute through Younes Namli.
PEC Zwolle had a second through Dylan Mbayo disallowed for handball but they remained in control going into the second half. The visitors failed to kill the game and Jesse Bosch then made it 1-1 in the 72nd minute.
Willem II could sense relief but that was short lived as Eliano Reijnders restored the lead for PEC Zwolle and that was enough for three points.
Willem II are now almost certain to finish 16th and take part in the relegation playoffs but it is not official just yet as RKC are only three points behind. PEC Zwolle is 13th and still have a slender chance of reaching the top nine.
Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 Heerenveen
Go Ahead Eagles dented Heerenveen’s European playoff hopes in Deventer.
The hosts have nothing to play for after winning the KNVB Cup but they did not roll over to a Heerenveen side still battling for a top nine spot.
In their final home game of the season, Go Ahead Eagles may not have been at their best but they still secured three points thanks to a late goal from Mathis Suray.
The win means Go Ahead remains 7th while Heerenveen clings onto 9th.
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