Simon Cziommer had given the home side an early lead, which was swiftly cancelled out by Wesley Sneijder's potentially precious away goal, before former Rangers marksman Arveladze struck with time almost up.

Ajax had finished three points clear of AZ in the Eredivisie standings after missing out on the title to PSV Eindhoven by a single goal on the final day.

But it was Louis van Gaal, against the team he used to coach, who was the first - and the last - to smile on Sunday.

Two minutes in, AZ took the lead when Demy De Zeeuw found Cziommer in space and he chipped Maarten Stekelenburg, with George Ogararu's despairing lunge on the line in vain.

But within 10 minutes, the Amsterdammers drew level through Sneijder.

Taking a ball from Roger on the left, the midfielder cut inside, beat two defenders and rifled the ball into the roof of Boy Waterman's goal.

After a lightning start, the game settled into a slower tempo, as Ajax sat on their away goal.

Just before the half-hour, Ryan Donk travelled deep into the Ajax half before teeing up De Zeeuw for a shot that Stekelenburg did well to push behind.

And in the last action of the half, Nourdin Boukhari should have volleyed home Julian Jenner's left-wing cross when well place in the middle.

The second half continued with AZ on the front foot and Maarten Martens shot straight at Stekelenburg from inside the box.

Boukhari tested Stekelenburg again with a 20-yard strike that rebounded into play, but was cleared to safety by Thomas Vermaelen.

Ajax's best chance to edge ahead came 15 minutes from time when Ryan Babel skipped into the box and let fly with a shot that Waterman had to tip round the post.

Just as the game looked to be meandering to a draw, AZ struck in the last minute.

Boukhari slipped the ball through a static Ajax defence for Arveladze to latch onto, round Stekelenburg and tap home to hand his side a slender aggregate lead going into next Sunday's second leg at the Amsterdam ArenA.