Feyenoord force Ajax to postpone Dutch title party

Amsterdam, April 14 (IANS) Ajax beat ADO Den Haag 3-2 but due to a 2-0 win by rivals Feyenoord at PSV, the Amsterdam-based club could not celebrate their 33th Dutch football championship.

Only if Ajax were to gain more points than Feyenoord here Sunday, coach Frank de Boer’s side would have claimed the league title, reports Xinhua.

Ajax’s Christian Poulsen broke the deadlock with a header (35th minute) but immediately later ADO Den Haag equalised through an own goal by Stefano Denswil.

In the second half, Davy Klaassen put Ajax in front again and Thulani Serero finished a cross by Poulsen to make it 3-1. In injury-time Tom Beugelsdijk added another ADO goal.

Meanwhile in Eindhoven, Feyenoord was the best side with defender Joris Mathijsen opening the scoreboard. He headed in a free-kick by Tonny Vilhena.

After Graziano Pelle, among others, squandered some chances, the margin stayed until the last quarter when Daryl Janmaat smashed home the second (76th).

Ajax now lead the Eredivisie with 69 points out of 32 matches, six ahead of Feyenoord. With two rounds remaining, the league leaders only need one point in the next away match against Heracles Almelo two weeks from now to seal the title. Next week Ajax and PEC Zwolle will first play the Dutch Cup final.

FC Twente (59) are third in the league, Vitesse (54) fourth and PSV (53) fifth.

The Dutch champions will directly qualify for the Champions League while the No.2 side will go to the Champions League preliminary round. The third and fourth teams will advance to the Europa League.

Cup finalist PEC Zwolle already qualified for the Europa League because their opponent Ajax is already certain of Champions League preliminary.