PSV Women Surge to Top: Is Ajax Coach Already Throwing in the Towel?

PSV Claims Top Spot in Women’s Eredivisie Following 3-1 Victory Over Ajax

PSV has ascended to the top of the Women’s Eredivisie after a decisive 3-1 victory against Ajax. The home side demonstrated their dominance throughout the match, echoing their previous 2-0 triumph over the Amsterdam team just before the winter break.

Ajax’s Title Hopes Dwindle

For Ajax, the defeat came during a challenging week, having drawn 1-1 against FC Utrecht in their last outing. Coach Hesterine de Reus expressed deep disappointment, suggesting that the title was slipping away, despite the slim point difference of just one. “Last week, we already took a step towards losing the championship, and today we’ve definitively lost it,” De Reus told ESPN. “It’s tough for everyone involved, but PSV was simply the superior team today.”

Match Statistics

As it stands, PSV leads the league with 45 points, closely followed by Ajax with 44 points, suggesting that the league title is increasingly within reach for the Eindhoven side, which has yet to secure a championship title.

Renate Jansen Shines for PSV

In front of 8,000 enthusiastic fans, Renate Jansen opened the scoring for PSV in the 28th minute with a stunning shot that nestled into the bottom right corner, eluding goalkeeper Regina van Eijk. Immediately after taking the lead, PSV pressed to capitalize on their momentum.

Ajax, noting the urgency, made three quick substitutions at the start of the second half, including the introduction of top scorer Danique Tolhoek. Tolhoek made an immediate impact by equalizing in the 51st minute, finishing expertly after a slick pass from Lotte Keukelaar. Ajax maintained pressure and came close to taking the lead with a shot from Bo van Egmond that hit the post.

However, PSV’s Veerle Buurman restored the lead with a powerful header, regaining control for the home team. The match culminated with Jansen securing the win in the final minutes, scoring her second goal after a rapid combination play, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

Utrecht’s Struggles and Upcoming Matches

The competition remains fierce as FC Twente has the opportunity to overtake Ajax if they secure a substantial win against Heerenveen in their upcoming match. Meanwhile, FC Utrecht, sitting fifth, faced disappointment as they lost 2-1 to AZ, including an unfortunate own goal by Ilse van der Zanden.

Despite the setbacks, Tolhoek remains hopeful about Ajax’s title chances, stating, “We need to regroup. It’s disappointing, but we haven’t given up. We have many matches left to play.”