Ajax secured their place in the Champions League play-off final on Monday with a convincing 3-1 win (5-2 on aggregate) in their second-leg clash with Heerenveen.
The Amsterdam outfit will play FC Twente - who saw off NAC Breda at the weekend - in Saturday's final for the right to play in Europe's premier competition next term.
Already in the ascendancy following a 2-1 away win in the first leg, Adrie Koster's team went further ahead through a Kenneth Perez penalty on the stroke of half-time. That came hot on the heels of a red card for Heerenveen's Michael Bradley.
Substitute Dennis Rommedahl doubled the hosts' advantage three minutes after the interval and Perez bagged his second seven minutes later to put the tie beyond doubt.
Danijel Pranjic pulled a goal back for the visitors after 63 minutes but they could make no further inroads and went down 3-1 on the night, 5-2 on aggregate.
It could all have been different for the side from Friesland if Roy Beerens had converted a 21st-minute opportunity but he fired over Maarten Stekelenburg's crossbar.
The Ajax goalkeeper had to be alert 15 minutes later to dive and punch away a Gianni Zuiverloon blast.
Heerenveen were reduced to 10 men when Bradley was sent off for a second bookable offence after 39 minutes, and John Heitinga mustered Ajax's first chance two minutes later but drilled his right-footed effort over the bar.
The Amsterdam outfit did take the lead four minutes later, however, when Jeffrey Sarpong was brought down in the area by Heerenveen goalkeeper Rob van Dijk. Perez made no mistake from the spot.
Three minutes after the interval, Perez turned provider for Rommedahl to slot home Ajax's second after Van Dijk had come for the cross and not collected.
Perez put his side three up on the night shortly afterwards when he finished off a slick move with a left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner.
Pranjic pulled a goal back for Heerenveen with a left-footed strike into the bottom-left corner 27 minutes from time but it was too little too late.
More news from SportingLife.com
