A dramatic 99th-minute equaliser from Thijmen Blokzijl cost Ajax a valuable win and gave PSV the lead in the Eredivisie ahead of the final weekend of the season.
Davy Klaassen, who was demoted to the bench after Sunday's 3-0 loss to NEC, couldn't believe Ajax still conceded a goal that late in the game. "I haven't watched the goals back yet. I didn't feel we would give it away at the end, especially after that red card, but it happened anyway," Klaassen told ESPN.
Ajax right-back Anton Gaaei scored the opening goal with a thunderous effort towards Etienne Vaessen's near post. Shortly after the break, however, FC Groningen's Thom van Bergen profited from Jorrel Hato keeping him onside and acrobatically put the Pride of the North alongside Ajax.
Ajax thought they'd won the game when substitute Wout Weghorst put Ajax back in front halfway through the second half, and the game looked over when Luciano Valente received a straight red card, leaving FC Groningen to finish the game a man down.
'As long as there's a chance...'
The draw in Groningen was Ajax's fourth-straight winless game. They squandered a 9-point lead in the final weeks of the Eredivisie and head into this Sunday's 34th and last round. "Collapsed sounds so intense right away. It's less," Klaassen said, not explaining what exactly had gotten less for Ajax. "Do you mind if I don't analyse all that right now? Honestly, I'm just disappointed at the moment, and I'm coming here because I have to, but to analyse at the moment is just a bit awkward."
Ajax could still win the league with a win against FC Twente and a draw or loss for PSV away at Sparta Rotterdam, but that wasn't on Klaassen's mind after the nightmare game in Groningen. "At the moment, I don't think it's the first thought, coming off the pitch. As long as there is a chance, I think you have to go for it, but we don't have it in our own hands anymore."
'Everyone was devastated'
Winger Mika Godts, who got his first start since the 4-0 loss against FC Utrecht, did not think about potentially having given away the title. "My main thought was: too bad about the draw," the Belgian youngster said. "Of course, we deserved more. We just have to win here. Especially if you want the highest, but everyone gave everything, 200 per cent. It's just a shame.
"Everyone was devastated, to be honest. The coach still tried to be positive by saying we have to keep this energy, because Sunday is another game we have to win."
Godts still believes in a record-extending 37th league title for Ajax. "'We do have the group for that. We also showed that today (Wednesday). We take the lead, they equalise, and then we retake the lead. Then they equalise again, and you see that we still have that strength to try again.
"We've managed that so many times before, so we're confident we're going to win on Sunday, and then we'll see."