Groningen's 23-year stay in the Eredivisie has come to an end thanks to a 1-1 draw away to Go Ahead Eagles.

A seven-game losing run prior to their trip to De Adelaarshorst left Groningen on the brink of demotion with just 17 points to show for their efforts this season.

Even if Dennis van der Ree's side had prevailed on Sunday, their fate would have been sealed if either Emmen or Excelsior won their matches against FC Twente and Feyenoord respectively.

Both of Groningen's relegation rivals lost on the day, and Van der Ree's men got off to an ideal start against Go Ahead Eagles, as Ricardo Pepi drew first blood after just six minutes.

The USA international's strike was his 12th of the season in the Eredivisie and his third in Groningen's last five matches, but Go Ahead Eagles levelled on the half-hour mark through Willum Thor Willumsson.

The Pride of the North could not breach their hosts' defence a second time in the following hour, and they have subsequently fallen 10 points behind Excelsior in the relegation playoff spot with just nine points left to play for.

Groningen have accumulated a mere 18 points from 31 games this term to sit 17th in the rankings, only above basement side Cambuur, who were relegated on Saturday with a 3-0 defeat to Utrecht.

The Pride of the North were last relegated from the top flight of Dutch football in 1998 and spent just two years in the Eerste Divisie before returning to the big time in 2000, where they have stayed ever since.

They achieved two fifth-placed finishes in the 2005-06 and 2010-11 campaigns and qualified for the Europa League group stage as recently as 2015 by virtue of winning the KNVB Beker.