Ajax and PSV draw in Dutch league

AFC Ajax and PSV Eindhoven drew 1-1 at the Amsterdam Arena, while Feyenoord Rotterdam were guaranteed the top spot till the halfway of the Dutch Eredivisie football season.

Ajax captain Davy Klaassen on Sunday put his team in front in the 49th minute but PSV equalised through Siem de Jong's strike to earn a point.

Both Ajax and PSV started the match with only one goal, winning, and used everything to come closer to that goal, reports Xinhua.

PSV midfielder Andres Guardado first injured Kasper Dolberg and with a body-check and also knocked out Anwar El Ghazi. Both Ajax forwards had to be substituted within the first 25 minutes by Mateo Cassierra and Vaclav Cerny.

Despite the loss of Dolberg and El Ghazi Ajax kept most possession and was the dominant side in the Amsterdam Arena. However, the home-team was not effective in front of the goal, with especially Cassierra missing some chances.

Four minutes into the second half Ajax captain Klaassen found the net. Despite several Ajax chances to extend the lead, PSV bounced back ten minutes from time. Former Ajax player de Jong scored for PSV.

The battle in Amsterdam was not about the first place. On Saturday Feyenoord already claimed the 'winter' title in the Eredivisie by beating Vitesse 3-1 in Rotterdam. Eljero Elia opened the scoring, Adnane Tighadouini equalised and Steven Berghuis sealed the victory with a brace.

Feyenoord became halfway champions for the 11th time in history. They have a five-point lead on Ajax and an eight-point lead on reigning champions PSV after 17 matches. On six of those previous 11 occasions the Rotterdam based giants also secured the championship, under which the last league title of 1999.

Also on Sunday Excelsior and NEC drew 2-2, ADO Den Haag beat Sparta Rotterdam 1-0, FC Groningen drew 1-1 at home against Go Ahead Eagles and Heracles Almelo defeated PEC Zwolle 3-0.

On Saturday Roda JC Kerkrade and FC Utrecht remained goalless (0-0) and FC Twente lost 2-1 at home to AZ Alkmaar, while Willem II defeated sc Heerenveen 2-1 on Friday.

The Eredivisie will be resumed after the winter break on January 13, 2017.

--IANS

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