PSV steal Eredivisie title as Ajax are held at relegated De Graafschap

Published May 08, 2016

PSV Eindhoven successfully defended its Dutch league title by beating PEC Zwolle 3-1 Sunday as Ajax could only manage a 1-1 draw at second-last De Graafschap Doetinchem.

It was the second straight Eredivisie title for Phillip Cocu's PSV and the 23rd in the Eindhoven club's history at the end of a thrilling two-team title race.

Ajax went into the final day of the season ahead of PSV on goal difference and only needed to beat De Graafschap to seal its 34th Dutch league title.

Amin Younes gave Ajax the lead in the 16th, but Bryan Smeets leveled the scores 10 minutes after half time and Ajax could not break through for a winning goal in the remainder of the second half against a team that had lost 21 times this season.

In Zwolle, Juergen Locadia opened the scoring in the 34th minute and captain Luuk de Jong doubled PSV's lead shortly before the break.

Ouasim Bouy halved the lead in the 66th, only for De Jong to score his second goal of the match a minute later to restore the two-goal cushion and allow PSV to defend its lead for the remainder of the match, while waiting for news from De Graafschap-Ajax.

"Ajax got 82 points this season and that's usually enough for the title," De Jong told NOS radio. "But we have 84."

Feyenoord finished third, 19 points behind Ajax.

Vincent Janssen scored his team's third goal as AZ Alkmaar beat FC Utrecht 3-1 to finish as the league's top scorer with 27 goals, one ahead of De Jong.

"I don't care," De Jong said. "I wanted to be champion."

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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/psv-steal-eredivisie-title-as-ajax-are-held-at-relegated-de-graafschap