AZ Alkmaar kept their chances of snatching the third Champions League qualifying spot alive with a comeback win against the team above them, FC Twente.

Vangelis Pavlidis scored the winning goal with 25 minutes to play in Alkmaar, capitalising on a slip by defender Alec van Hoorenbeeck, to reduce the deficit to two points with two matches remaining.

The visitors went ahead in the fifth minute through Sem Steijn as they sought the win that would have secured a third-place finish, but AZ levelled straight after half-time when Ruben van Bommel tucked away a rebound.

AZ have the harder run-in of the two clubs, with a visit to Go Ahead Eagles followed by a home game against in-form Utrecht. Twente’s final fixtures are at home to Volendam and away to PEC Zwolle.

PSV Eindhoven wrapped up the Eredivisie title, but it was far from a procession as their mettle was tested by a combative Sparta side.

“Entertaining” PSV

PSV recovered from going behind early to take the lead in the 26th minute when Luuk de Jong muscled a defender off the ball and presented Johan Bakayoko with a straightforward chance. But Sparta levelled minutes later as PSV defender Oscar Boscagli diverted Koki Saito’s shot into his own net.

Boscagli made amends midway through the second half when he steered in Joey Veerman’s free-kick, before Jordan Teze unleashed the celebrations with a fourth goal 10 minutes later.

Peter Bosz’s side took their goal tally to 107 for the season, the highest in the club’s history, but they will need to score 12 in the last two games to match the record set by Ajax in the 2018/19 season.

De Jong, who limped off towards the end of the match in a setback for his hopes of eclipsing Pavlidis as top scorer, said the club had had a “fantastic season”.

“We won trophies playing football the way it should be played,” he said. “We’ve entertained the fans and been rewarded with the league title.”

Volendam sunk

Volendam’s relegation was confirmed as the club lost 4-1 at home to Ajax, who remain on course to claim the second Europa League qualifying spot.

Kenneth Taylor scored twice for Ajax, while Chuka Akpom and Brian Brobbey also found the net in the second half, while Benaissa Benamar’s late strike was scant consolation for Volendam.

Utrecht can still snatch fifth place from Ajax’s grasp after edging out relegated Vitesse Arnhem thanks to Victor Jensen’s precise shot at the start of the second half.

RKC Waalwijk ended a six-game winless streak with a thumping 5-0 win at Heracles to move two points ahead of Excelsior in the battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot. Excelsior can regain 15th place if they beat NEC Nijmegen on Monday evening.

Heerenveen saw their faint hopes of reaching the European qualifying play-offs evaporate as they could only draw 1-1 in Almere, while Go Ahead Eagles are favourites to take the last spot following a goalless draw against Fortuna Sittard.

Results

Friday

Almere City 1-1 Heerenveen

Fortuna Sittard 0-0 Go Ahead Eagles

Sunday

AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Twente Enschede

Heracles Almelo 0-5 RKC Waalwijk

PSV Eindhoven 4-2 Sparta Rotterdam

Utrecht 1-0 Vitesse Arnhem

Volendam 1-4 Ajax

Feyenoord L-L PEC Zwolle

Monday

Excelsior v NEC Nijmegen