PSV win fourth straight Dutch title

PSV Eindhoven clinched their fourth Dutch league title in a row on Sunday with a 1-0 win at Vitesse Arnhem to finish above rivals Ajax Amsterdam.

PSV ended the season three points clear of Ajax, with 72 from 34 matches, after Serbia striker Danko Lazovic grabbed the winner just after halftime at the Gelredome.

It was the second year running the title race had come down to a nerve-racking final day with PSV triumphant again to secure a place in the next season's Champions League group stage.

"There was a lot of pressure on this match but the goal was a relief," PSV coach Sef Vergoossen told Radio 1. "But despite the close finish we really deserve this championship."

Captain Timmy Simons added: "We knew that we had to be patient today and that is what we were and after the opening goal we just kept control".

PSV, who dropped four points in their last three matches to allow Ajax back into the title race, needed at least a point in Arnhem to guarantee they would retain the trophy.

Serbian Lazovic struck his 10th league goal of the season from close range just two minutes into the second half after being set up by Jefferson Farfan.

Vitesse were reduced to 10 men 13 minutes from time after a second booking for Sebastien Sansoni.

In Amsterdam, Luis Suarez, Kenneth Perez and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored in the first half hour to give Ajax a comfortable lead over Almelo.

The visitors pulled a goal back through defender Ragnar Klavan in the 54th minute but Perez grabbed his second before John Heitinga wrapped up the victory.

Third-placed NAC Breda registered their highest league finish with 63 points, although they suffered a 3-1 home defeat on Sunday by NEC Nijmegen who came eighth with 49 points.

NAC join Ajax, fourth-placed Twente Enschede and Heerenveen, who finished fifth, in the playoffs to compete for a place in third qualifying round of the Champions League.

Matthew Amoah opened the scoring for NAC but a Jeremain Lens double and a goal from Jhonny van Beukering turned the tide in favour of Nijmegen, who enter the playoffs for a UEFA Cup spot with the other teams finishing between sixth and 10th spot.

Heerenveen condemned Excelsior Rotterdam to relegation with a 5-0 win that included a double strike from Gerald Sibon to leave the visitors propping up the table with 27 points.

VVV Venlo scored three second-half goals to seal a 3-0 home win over Graafschap Doetinchem that lifted them off the bottom and into the relegation playoffs along with their opponents and six second division teams. They finished 17th with 29 points.

Feyenoord, sixth on goal difference behind Heerenveen, beat Roda JC Kerkrade 3-0 with goals from Luigi Bruins, Nuri Sahin and Michael Mols. The teams meet again next Sunday in the Dutch Cup final at the Feijenoord Stadium in Rotterdam.