Ajax 3 PSV 1: Ten-man hosts punish Schwaab to close gap

Dusan Tadic and David Neres were on target as 10-man Ajax closed to within two points of Eredivisie leaders PSV with a dramatic 3-1 victory in Amsterdam.

Erik ten Hag’s men have sparkled in the Champions League this season and their hopes of domestic glory remain intact after this heated clash as Daniel Schwaab endured a nightmare afternoon on Sunday.

Ajax were gifted the lead after 21 minutes when Hakim Ziyech was given time and space to deliver from the right, and the retreating Schwaab panicked, prodding the ball over his own goal line as Jeroen Zoet came to claim.

Andre Onana brilliantly kept Hirving Lozano at bay early in the second half, but the hosts were then hit by a double blow.

Noussair Mazraoui was initially punished only with a yellow card for a high boot on Angelino, yet referee Bjorn Kuipers then consulted VAR and sent off the right-back.

And with Mazraoui still walking down the tunnel, Angelino lifted himself to deliver a cross from the left that tempted Onana from his line and allowed Luuk de Jong to power a header into the net.

Another twist was to come, however, and Kuipers again turned to the video replay when Schwaab brought down Neres, finally pointing to the spot for Tadic to decisively send Zoet the wrong way from 12 yards.

PSV’s desperation for an equaliser then saw them concede again late in stoppage time, as Neres turned into space in the area and fired across Zoet and into the far corner of the net.

90+6′ IT’S DONE!

A BIG THREE POINTS! #ajapsv pic.twitter.com/tCmkU9j8je

— AFC Ajax (English) (@AFCAjax_EN) March 31, 2019