Siem de Jong came off the bench to earn PSV Eindhoven a point against his former side Ajax.
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PSV welcomed Andres Guardado back into the starting line-up after an injury and the Mexican made his mark on the game early on with a rash challenge on Anwar El Ghazi, which went unpunished but left the winger on a stretcher. Ajax also lost Kasper Dolberg early on through injury after a challenge with Guardado, who was also lucky not to see a yellow after some handbags with Davy Klaassen which summed up a feisty first half.
Mateo Cassierra and Vaclav Cerny came off the bench for the hosts and the former had three great chances to open the scoring before the break, but twice shot straight at Jeroen Zoet, while he sent an effort wide of the post on the stroke of half-time. PSV were happy to sit deep in the first half, but they also created some good chances to take the lead with Gaston Pereiro shooting just past the post, while Luuk de Jong sent two free headers wide.
Three minutes into the second half, Ajax took the lead with Younes playing a ball across the box, which Cassierra dummied and Klaassen hit a first-time strike into the top corner.
The goal woke PSV up and they came close to equalising with three chances before the hour mark. Davy Propper headed wide from a Pereiro cross before Onana denied a De Jong overhead kick and header.
Siem de Jong was brought off the bench by Phillip Cocu on the hour mark and it was the former Ajax captain that levelled the score. De Jong brought down Pereiro’s long ball with a lovely touch before slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
PSV then had the best chance to nick a win late on with Bart Ramselaar sending a fierce strike just wide.
The draw means Ajax stay 2nd and PSV third, but both now lose ground on leaders Feyenoord heading into the winter break.
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