Ajax kept their Eredivisie title challenge alive with a 5-2 win against Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday - but they may have to score even more next week if they are to complete the job.

Wesley Sneijder scored twice and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Kenneth Perez (penalty) and Nicolae Mitea once apiece for the Amsterdammers while Rachid Bouaouzan and Inderlindo Moreino Freire hit the mark for the visitors.

Ajax's win and results elsewhere means that with one game to play they are level on points with champions PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar.

But with AZ's goal difference six goals better than that of Ajax, Henk ten Cate's side will either have to rely on a slip-up for the Alkmaar club or a veritable feast of goals in their final fixture, away to Willem II in Tilburg, if they are to claim the Dutch title.

Sneijder opened the scoring after nine minutes with a shot from the left with Huntelaar's dummy catching Sparta goalkeeper Harald Wapenaar off guard.

Sneijder's second was a beauty as John Heitinga fed Ryan Babel, who beat Sepp De Roover and crossed to Sneijder whose left foot did the rest.

The goalscorer then turned provider as his cross was headed home by Huntelaar.

Bouaouzan reduced arrears with his right foot from close range after 37 minutes.

Two minutes after the break it was 3-2 as Moreno Freire took advantage of slack defending to get on the end of a Haris Medunjanin free-kick.

De Roover then conceded a penalty when he brought down Gabri from the spot and substitute Perez made it count to settle any Ajax nerves.

Another substitute, Mitea, completed the job from close range after a good set-up from Huntelaar.

Ajax could yet be champions next weekend but Ten Cate will doubtless be making them do plenty of shooting practice during the week and hoping another Rotterdam club, Excelsior, will put a spanner in the works for AZ - who are managed by former Ajax boss Louis van Gaal.