Ajax smash five past Heerenveen to secure Eredivisie title

Updated: May 17, 2023, 04:57 am

Ajax players celebrate after scoring a goal against Heerenveen in the Eredivisie.
Ajax players celebrate after scoring a goal against Heerenveen in the Eredivisie.
Getty Images

Ajax Amsterdam were crowned Dutch champions with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Heerenveen at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Wednesday, giving Manchester United-bound coach Erik ten Hag the perfect send off.

Ajax, who have now extended their record number of domestic league title wins to 36, move to 82 points from 33 games, four clear of second-placed PSV Eindhoven with one more round of fixtures to be played.

Strikes from Nicolas Tagliafico and Steven Berghuis, and a Sebastien Haller penalty, all inside the opening 38 minutes, sealed the victory for Ajax, before Brian Brobbey and Edson Alvarez added two more late on.

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It was the last home fixture for Ten Hag before he makes his move to the Premier League having been unveiled for the 2022-23 season by United last month. Ajax finish their campaign at Vitesse Arnhem on Sunday. 

Ten Hag ends his four-and-a-half year stay at the club with a third Eredivisie title in a row having also led the team to the championship in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 campaigns.

The season was cancelled in 2019/20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He was denied a league and cup double this term when Ajax were beaten 2-1 by PSV in the Dutch Cup final on April 17.