It was 8 May 2016.

On 8 May 2016, the final matchday of the Eredivisie was on the schedule and this day was especially focused on the battle for the national title between Ajax and PSV. At that time, both teams had the same number of points, but the goal difference was clearly in favor of the Amsterdammers and so they went into the final matchday as the leaders.

On 20 March 2016, Ajax appeared to be taking a major step toward the league title by beating PSV 0-2 in Eindhoven and taking top spot. From that moment on, Frank de Boer’s team had a two-point lead with six matches still to play.

In matchday 31, PSV appeared to take over the top spot from Ajax when the team of Phillip Cocu itself won 0-3 at Roda JC Kerkrade and saw that Ajax at home went 0-2 behind in the 84th minute against FC Utrecht. In the end, the Amsterdammers still came back to 2-2 partly thanks to an easily awarded penalty by referee Danny Makkelie, and as a result the capital club entered the final three league matches as leaders on the basis of goal difference.

In matchweeks 32 and 33, both teams subsequently made no mistakes. PSV won at home 2-0 against Vitesse and 6-2 against Cambuur, while Ajax, in turn, won away at sc Heerenveen (0-2) and at home against FC Twente (4-0).

Because of this, both teams entered the last matchday with 81 points and both teams had an away match ahead. For Ajax, the fixture was scheduled at De Vijverberg against 17th-placed De Graafschap, and PSV traveled for the encounter with mid-table PEC Zwolle.

In the sixteenth minute, the Amsterdam team took a 0-1 lead through wing attack Amin Younes and the capital city's team was on course for the league title. After that, De Boer's side went in search of more goals, but despite this, big chances were missed and so Ajax went into the break with only 0-1.

On the other hand, PSV did what it had to do and, by halftime, led the team of Phillip Cocu 0-2 through goals by Jürgen Locadia and Luuk de Jong. Partly because of this, the fight for the national title was still completely wide open.

Ten minutes after the break, the scenario unfolded that nobody had anticipated in advance. From an attack by De Graafschap, the midfielder Bryan Smeets managed to fire the ball behind goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and thereby brought the score to 1-1, which meant that PSV was, at that moment, virtually league champion.

For Smeets, ironically enough, his very first goal for the Superboeren. After this strike, Ajax went all out for the 1-2, but big chances weren’t really created and De Graafschap held firm.

In the 66th minute in PEC Zwolle - PSV, after a poor clearance by goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet, Cocu’s team handed the home side a goal, which brought the tension back in the Overijssel capital. A minute later, however, PSV put things right and, via captain Luuk de Jong, the score became 1-3.

Ultimately, 1-3 would also have been the final score in PEC Zwolle - PSV and thus Cocu’s team depended on the result of De Graafschap - Ajax. Against all expectations, the Superboeren held on, which made PSV champions of the Netherlands for the 23rd time, and afterwards a huge celebration broke out on the pitch at PEC Zwolle.

On the other hand, there was great disappointment at Ajax in Doetinchem after missing out on the national title. Elsewhere in the country, there was especially plenty of cheering because the Amsterdam side missed out on the championship as well.