In the final weeks of the season, PSV Eindhoven jumped off a seemingly impossible position to defeat arch-rivals Ajax, winning their second successive Dutch title on Sunday.
One of the most exciting climaxes in living memory was achieved with a 3-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam, earning Peter Bosz and his men the Eredivisie title.
The championship had almost given up on PSV. Four-time European champions Ajax were nine points clear of the title with just five games left.
Ajax won the title match with a score of 2-0 against PSV in Eindhoven on March 30 in what was intended to be the championship decider.
However, Ajax, who had hoped to recover from a disastrous season last year, tragically lost twice and drew twice to give PSV the lead, falling behind.
Ajax felt the most embarrassment during the final match. In the ninth minute of extra time against Groningen, they conceded an equalizer with fate still in play, one point ahead of PSV.
With a point in hand for PSV, who had won six straight games before that defeat to Ajax, their rivals in Amsterdam were able to win.
For the majority of the season, PSV fans had been frustrated by the team’s inconsistentness.
Unquestionably, Liverpool’s defeat in a 3-2 Champions League thriller at the Philips Stadion was a big win.
However, PSV’s European tour ended in abhorrent humiliation when an arrogant Arsenal defeated them 7-1 at home.
They allegedly struggled to replicate the dominating form of last year, which only yielded one defeat.
In addition to losing to PEC Zwolle, Go Ahead Eagles, and Heerenveen, they also suffered frustrating defeats from Ajax in both of their league games.
In their final weeks, they displayed resilience when it was necessary.
With only two games left, Feyenoord, the other of the Eredivisie “big three,” was able to keep them in the lead.
They have scored more than 100 goals for the second straight season, with double figures coming from Luuk de Jong, Noa Lang, and Ricardo Pepi.
However, Lang has always caused controversy off the field, having clashed with his own fans, and being the target of numerous transfer rumors.
– ‘Already given up’ –
Due to its position in such a remote position, PSV’s 26th Eredivisie title will be even sweeter.
We had already given up after our home defeat against Ajax. De Jong claimed that we were nine points behind.
We didn’t dare to dream about this any longer, so there was a lot of joy. It turns out that hunting is occasionally simpler. ”
This agonizing capitulation represents a missed opportunity for Ajax and its supporters to end the agony of the disastrous campaign of the previous season.
The Amsterdam giants had their worst season of previous year, and one jubilant PSV fan tattooed the standings onto his body to commemorate their triumphant start.
Hercules’ dismissal from the Dutch Cup by rank amateurs was another nadir, but a leadership change saw the appointment of Francesco Farioli as the new coach and England star Jordan Henderson as captain.
This year, Faioli had a goal in Champions League football, which he has succeeded in achieving.
However, Ajax will undoubtedly be remembered for the “what if” rather than the second-place and spot in Europe.
That irritates me. After the points were dropped at Groningen, the Ajax Supporters Association wrote on its website, “a lot.”
A drop to second place in the Eredivisie still hurts a lot, according to Ajax fans, who would have bitten their hands off earlier this season.
