PSV Eindhoven were crowned Eredivisie champions for a second consecutive season as Ajax paid the price for their late-season collapse.

On the final day of the season, PSV were 3-1 winners at Sparta Rotterdam and that was enough to finish one point ahead of second-placed Ajax.

It completed a remarkable transformation in fortunes, with PSV having been nine points adrift of the summit with five games to go.

Ajax's ill-timed dip in form dramatically opened the door for PSV, and they strode through to guarantee a 26th Dutch league title.

When Ajax completed a double over PSV by winning 2-0 in Eindhoven on 30 March, they looked to have a firm first hand on the trophy.

They required only six points from their final five games to be Dutch champions for a record 37th time - and PSV had more or less thrown in the towel.

"After the home defeat against Ajax, we were nine points behind and we had already given up," said PSV captain Luuk de Jong, as surprised as anyone by the turnaround.

Ivan Perisic settled PSV's nerves in Rotterdam as the 36-year-old Croatian put them ahead shortly before the half-hour mark, arriving at the back post to head home a cross from Olivier Boscagli.

Gjivai Zechiel equalised for 11th-placed Sparta seven minutes into the second half.

With Ajax leading 1-0 against Twente, courtesy of a Jordan Henderson header, PSV temporarily slipped to second place and their rivals from Amsterdam climbed to the top.

However, that lasted for only six minutes as De Jong restored the advantage for Peter Bosz's PSV when he netted from a Noa Lang cross.

The destination of the title was put beyond doubt with six minutes left as Malik Tillman found a third, sparking scenes of joy on the pitch and among away ers in the stands.

De Jong said: "In the first half, there was nothing wrong. Then it becomes 1-1 and you think, 'It won't be one of those days, will it">