Ajax stay top after battling to PSV Eindhoven draw

January 11, 2021 | 13:23

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Ajax maintained their lead at the top of the Eredivisie on Sunday after coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with title rivals PSV Eindhoven.

ajax stay top after battling to psv eindhoven draw

PSV Eindhoven's Mexican midfielder Erick Gutierrez (L) tackles Ajax' Dutch defender Perr Schuurs during the Dutch Eredivisie football match between Ajax Amsterdam and PSV Eindhoven at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam on January 10, 2021.(MAURICE VAN STEEN / ANP / AFP)

The champions stay a point ahead of PSV after the draw in Amsterdam, which came thanks to goals from Quincy Promes and Antony after a first-half Eran Zahavi brace had put the away side in a commanding lead.

Feyenoord and Vitesse Arnhem are a further two points back after respective 2-0 away wins at Sparta Rotterdam and Heracles.

PSV were missing injured Mario Gotze for the table-topping showdown but nonetheless stunned Ajax by racing into a two-goal lead within the first 21 minutes thanks to Zahavi.

The Israeli put the away side in the lead in just the second minute when he latched onto a superb Donyell Malen flick before coolly slotting home.

He connected again with Malen when he doubled PSV's advantage 19 minutes later, exchanging passes with the Dutch international to slice open the Ajax defence before confidently getting his second of the night.

However the hosts bounced back five minutes before the break when Promes finished off Dusan Tadic's cross after neat play on the left flank.

Ajax thought they were level shortly after the restart when Sebastien Haller raced through to net just two days after arriving from West Ham United for 22.5 million euros ($27.5 million), only to see his goal ruled out by VAR for a tight offside.

But Erik ten Hag's side wouldn't be denied and Haller had a key role in the 65th minute equaliser when he laid on Antony to score the goal which kept his side top of the pile.

AFP

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