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De Jong double helps Ajax snatch Dutch league title

Siem de Jong scored twice against his brother Luuk's team Twente as both finished the season with 12 league goals.
Siem de Jong scored twice against his brother Luuk's team Twente as both finished the season with 12 league goals.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Siem de Jong's double helps Ajax leapfrog Twente and claim Dutch title by two points
  • Amsterdam team win 3-1 at home to defending champions on final day of season
  • Rangers win 54th Scottish league title after beating Kilmarnock 5-1 in last game
  • Wisla Krakow clinch the Polish league title with three games to spare

(CNN) -- Ajax won the Dutch league title for the first time in seven years after overhauling previous leaders Twente in Sunday's final match of the season.

Ajax beat the defending champions 3-1 in Amsterdam to give coach Frank de Boer a perfect 41st birthday present and seal the club's 30th overall Eredivisie triumph by two points.

Twente beat Ajax in last weekend's Dutch Cup final and, as they did then, the visitors again went 2-0 down on Sunday as midfielder Siem de Jong scored midway through the first half and Denny Landzaat headed an own-goal soon after the break.

Theo Janssen reduced the deficit, but De Jong ended Twente's hopes of another comeback victory when he sealed the match with 12 minutes to play with his 12th league goal this season -- matching the tally of his brother Luuk, who plays for Twente.

A few weeks ago, no-one considered us still in the title race, but we've won it, which makes me proud
--Ajax coach Frank de Boer
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"I couldn't have wished for a more beautiful birthday present," De Boer, who replaced Martin Jol in December, said in quotes reported by UEFA's website.

"But it is even more beautiful for our supporters. They have had to wait so long for a new championship. Everyone in Amsterdam has been longing for that third star, and now we finally have it.

"A lot of the players are still only still 19 or 20 years old. They have never had to handle this sort of pressure before. A few weeks ago, no-one considered us still in the title race, but we've won it, which makes me proud."

Ajax won a place in the group stages of next season's Champions League, while Twente must play in the third qualifying round.

Rangers clinched a 54th Scottish title with a 5-1 hammering of Kilmarnock on Sunday as striker Kyle Lafferty scored a hat-trick in manager Walter Smith's last game in charge.

Second-placed Celtic also won, beating Motherwell 4-0, but finished a point behind their Glasgow rivals.

Smith, who will be replaced by his assistant Ally McCoist next season, won his ninth title in his second spell in charge.

Wisla Krakow clinched the Polish league title with three games to spare after Sunday's 1-0 derby win over second-bottom MKS Cracovia Krakow.

Israel international Maor Melikson headed the only goal in the 17th minute to secure the club's 13th crown and first since 2008-09.