Narrow escapes for Ajax, PSV keep Dutch title race wide open

Ajax and PSV Eindhoven booked difficult victories over SC Cambuur (1-0) and Willem II (2-0) respectively to maintain their bids for the Dutch football championship intact.

Ajax opened Saturday night with a narrow win over SC Cambuur. The league leaders hardly created chances in the first half and saw defender Mike van der Hoorn limp off with a head wound and a thigh injury. He was replaced by Ricardo van Rhijn, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ajax were stronger in the second half. El Ghazi set up the winning goal with a cross on Davy Klaassen, who headed in the 61st minute.

After that goal Ajax had several chances to double the scoring, but El Ghazi, Amin Younes, Arek Milik en Riechedly Bazoer missed opportunities. Despite some difficulties in the final phase Ajax kept a clean-sheet and grabbed the victory.

Also on Saturday, PSV's Marco van Ginkel, who had already hit the cross-bar in the first half, broke the deadlock in the 68th minute 1-0.

Luuk de Jong missed his first chance to make it 2-0, but the striker decided the match in the 79th minute. He was brought down by Dries Wuytens in the penalty area and converted the awarded penalty himself to score his 20th goal of the season.

With four rounds remaining in the league, Ajax are on 74 points, while reigning champions PSV trail by two points.