PSV Eindhoven opened up a five-point gap at the top of the Eredivisie on Sunday to claim the initiative ahead of their title showdown with Ajax in Amsterdam.

The league leaders narrowly overcame a spirited VVV side 1-0 in Venlo, but it took until the 86th minute for Hirving Lozano to break the deadlock with a mazy run and clipped shot.

Ajax, meanwhile, went down by the same scoreline in Alkmaar, with Guus Til netting the decisive strike for AZ in the 56th minute from close range following a corner.

PSV can now take a decisive step towards the title when the two teams meet in the ArenA on March 31, after the international break. If they win they will be eight points clear with just seven games left to play, while the home side will be under pressure to cut the deficit to two points.

‘We keep fighting to the end and we have the quality to do it,’ said Van Bommel after watching his team bag another late victory. ‘It was a very difficult game, but we played patiently, sent on a couple of substitutes to get a better grip on the game and in the end we got the goal.’

AZ’s victory lifted them to level on points with third-placed Feyenoord following the Rotterdammers’ 3-2 home defeat to Willem II on Saturday. Manager John van den Brom was delighted to beat one of the top three: ‘Hopefully that’ll stop the moaning. It was very frustrating. We’ve shown we can beat Ajax.’

‘It was very frustrating,’ said Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is joining Barcelona in the summer. ‘We didn’t deserve to win today. AZ were stronger. I hope I’m not going to leave Ajax without a medal, but the title is still a real option.’

Feyenoord stunned

Feyenoord stay ahead of AZ on goals scored after Alexander Isak’s 69th-minute goal allowed Willem II to take the points back to Tilburg. Feyenoord had led twice in De Kuip, the first time through Steven Berghuis’s stunning strike.

At the bottom of the table De Graafschap gave their survival chances a boost with a 3-0 win at Heerenveen. The points lifted them into 16th place above Emmen, who lost 3-1 on Friday night at home to Fortuna Sittard.

Both clubs are just a point behind Excelsior, who lost 2-0 at home to PEC Zwolle thanks to goals in the last 10 minutes from Kingsley Ehizibue and Younes Namil.

Groningen continued their good form in the second half of the season, winning their fifth straight home game by beating ADO Den Haag 1-0 to rise to eighth place and keep their opponents in the relegation dogfight.

Heracles were the only other home winners against 10-man Vitesse, while NAC are now eight points adrift at the foot of the table after slumping 4-0 at home to Dick Advocaat’s Utrecht.

Results

Friday

Emmen 1-3 Fortuna Sittard

Saturday

Feyenoord 2-3 WIllem II Tilburg

Heerenveen 0-3 De Graafschap

Heracles Almelo 3-2 VItesse Arnhem

NAC 0-4 FC Utrecht

Sunday

AZ Alkmaar 1-0 Ajax

Excelsior 0-2 PEC Zwolle

Groningen 1-0 ADO Den Haag

VVV Venlo 0-1 PSV Eindhoven