Soccer-PSV beat Sparta Rotterdam 3-1 to retain Dutch league title
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 12, 2025 PSV Eindhoven's Luuk de Jong applauds fans after the match REUTERS/David Klein/File Photo
(Reuters) -PSV Eindhoven's Luuk de Jong and Malik Tillman scored second-half goals to help retain the Dutch league title in a nervous 3-1 victory at Sparta Rotterdam as their side held off Ajax Amsterdam's challenge in Sunday's final round of matches.
PSV lifted the title they won last season to take their overall tally to 26, 10 behind Ajax, as they finished the season with 79 points from 34 games, one ahead of their great rivals from Amsterdam.
Ivan Perisic put PSV ahead after 27 minutes but when Gjivai Zechiel equalised for Sparta, Ajax, who at one stage had a nine-point lead in the title race, took over at the top of the table as they went on to win 2-0 at home to FC Twente.
But De Jong restored PSV's lead after 58 minutes and when Tillman rifled in a third from the edge of the box with six minutes remaining, the visitors were able to celebrate their seventh win in a row and claiming the league championship.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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