Eredivisie wrap: Ajax clinch 30th title

Ajax have clinched their 30th league title after a 3-1 win over Twente in the Eredivisie on Sunday.

A brace from attacker Siem de Jong helped Frank de Boer’s team record the victory they had to get in order to claim the title after entering the final day of the season a point adrift of Twente.

De Jong gave the hosts a 23rd-minute lead after an assist from defender Gregory van der Wiel and Ajax made it two early in the second half.

Twente midfielder Denny Landzaat turned the ball into his own net, but they did manage to pull a goal back after a fine curling strike from Theo Janssen a minute later.

But de Jong ensured there would be no late drama when he got on the end of a delightful pass from Christian Eriksen, chipping advancing goal-keeper Nikolay Mihaylov to restore their two-goal buffer.

It gave Ajax their first league title since 2003-04.

At the other end of the table, Excelsior fell just short of avoiding the relegation playoffs after they thrashed Vitesse 4-1.

A second-half brace from midfielder Geert Roorda set up the comfortable win, but it was not enough to move above Vitesse and into 15th.

Striker Guyon Fernandez gave Excelsior the lead going into the interval, but scores were level when on-loan midfielder Riverola equalised for the hosts.

But Roorda struck twice and forward Tim Vincken hit another, but it still left them two goals short of overtaking their defeated opponents.

They, along with VVV Venlo, will enter the relegation playoffs against Eerste Divisie clubs Zwolle, Helmond Sport, Veendam, Cambuur, Volendam, Go Ahead Eagles and Den Bosch, while Willem II have been relegated.

Both Excelsior and VVV Venlo will be in separate groups, with three clubs from the second-tier in each of their groups.

A sixth-minute goal from Rydell Poepon helped De Graafschap avoid the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over VVV Venlo.

Poepon’s goal assured their future in the top flight as they finished three points clear of the bottom three.

Third-placed PSV finished their season with a 0-0 draw at Groningen.

Canadian Atiba Hutchinson was sent off for PSV in the 79th minute after picking up two bookings in three minutes as Groningen qualified for the Europa League play-off spot courtesy of their fifth-placed finish.

ADO Den Haag maintained hold of seventh spot despite crashing to their fourth-straight defeat in a 3-0 loss at Heracles.

Midfielder Willy Overtoom scored twice and striker Samuel Armenteros struck another in the comfortable win for eighth-placed Heracles.

In other games, Roda JC remained sixth despite being held to a 0-0 draw at home to Heerenveen, who finished 12th.

Utrecht handed AZ Alkmaar a surprise 5-1 thrashing thanks to a hat-trick from midfielder Dries Mertens and a Ricky van Wolfswinkel brace, with AZ’s Maarten Martens also on the scoresheet.

Feyenoord and NEC Nijmegen played out a 1-1 draw as both finished the season comfortably in mid-table.

NEC midfielder Lasse Schone and Feyenoord striker Luc Castaignos exchanged first-half goals in the draw.

NAC Breda scored a late goal through attacker Julian Jenner to beat relegated Willem II 1-0.