Ajax aim high after punishing PSV

AFC Ajax achieved the performance of the weekend with a 5-1 victory at leaders PSV Eindhoven that threw the Dutch title race back open.

Huntelaar double
Henk ten Cate's men were always in command at the PSV Stadium and their first win there in more than twelve-and-a-half years means they have cut the gap at the top to five points with five games to go. "The title race might not be exciting yet but we have put the pressure on PSV now," the Ajax coach said. "We won this match by being imposing. We were eager to win as there is always prestige at stake."

Goals galore
Klaas Jan Huntelaar began the rout on 17 minutes when he headed in a free-kick from Wesley Sneijder, who added a second just before half-time. PSV coach Ronald Koeman responded by bringing on Patrick Kluivert and Diego Tardelli and it paid off when they combined for a goal in the 68th minute. However, five minutes later Huntelaar scored his second and Gabri soon struck the fourth with a shot from the edge of the area. Substitute Kenneth Perez made PSV's misery complete at the death.

Alex missed
The absence of the injured Alex seemed to have softened PSV at the back and Koeman admitted: "The way we were led to the slaughter was unworthy. The most important lesson is that we still have a long way to go to decide the championship." The defeat was PSV's biggest Eredivisie home loss since 1967, when Sparta Rotterdam beat them by the same 5-1 scoreline. Ajax had not recorded a league victory in Eindhoven since October 1994, when they won 4-1. Edgar Davids, who scored for Ajax in that match, also started Sunday's game, while Kluivert was also in the Ajax lineup.