Ajax keeps pace with leaders

Ajax keeps pace with leaders

Ajax came through a stern test to claim three Eredivisie points with a 3-0 victory against a spirited ADO Den Haag side to keep pace with the early-season pacesetters.

Demy De Zeeuw opened the scoring after 26 minutes, but the Amsterdam giants had to wait until 19 minutes from the end to add their second through Marko Pantelic.

Siem De Jong then added a third in stoppage time.

Feyenoord recorded their fifth win of the Eredivisie season as they beat NAC Breda 2-0, although the late dismissal of Denny Landzaat took the shine off the result.

Andwele Slory and Leroy Fer found the target for the Rotterdam club, with the second goal coming shortly after Landzaat had been given his marching orders.

Heracles Almelo held on to a 2-0 victory during a tense finale at NEC Nijmegen to finally get back to winning ways.

Everton headed the hosts in front in the ninth minute and their advantage was doubled in the 24th thanks to Bas Dost.

NEC were handed a lifeline 16 minutes from time when the referee somewhat controversially sent off Olivier Ter Horst and awarded the hosts a penalty.

But Youssef El Akchaoui hit the post and Heracles clung on to take the three points.

Struggling Heerenveen collected only their second three-point haul of the season so far as a 2-0 victory left Sparta Rotterdam winless from five home games.

Viktor Elm's penalty with 17 minutes to go sealed victory after Paulo Henrique had put Heerenveen in front late in the first half.

It was a deserved victory after Heerenveen dominated possession and showed signs they are ready to get their sputtering season into gear.

FC Groningen earned only their second win of the season as Danny Holla's first-half free-kick gave them a 1-0 victory over Vitesse Arnhem.

Koen Van de Laak missed a late penalty for the hosts but it made no difference to the final result as Vitesse had already wasted a couple of good chances to equalise.

On Saturday, Ronald Koeman's troubles at AZ Alkmaar continued as the defending champions slipped to a fourth defeat of the season.

Sander Keller's 14th-minute goal gave FC Utrecht a fifth win in seven matches and maintained their place among the early pacesetters.

Utrecht netted the only goal when Nana Asare's free-kick on the left found Keller, whose late run into the box was timed to perfection. He outjumped the AZ defence and headed the ball down and past goalkeeper Joey Didulica.

A first-half blitz gave leaders PSV Eindhoven a comfortable 3-1 win over Willem II at the Philips Stadion.

Excellent strikes from Otman Bakkal and Ibrahim Afellay sandwiched an Arjan Swinkels own goal as the hosts raced into a 3-0 lead.

They could not add to their tally in the second half and Willem II pulled one back through Frank Demouge four minutes from time, but it was comfortable for PSV.

FC Twente recovered from conceding an early goal to keep pace with PSV at the top by beating VVV-Venlo 2-1.

VVV stunned the hosts when Achmed Ahahaoui scored after just three minutes, but FC Twente quickly turned the match back in their favour with strikes by Bryan Ruiz and Douglas putting them in front by the 24th minute.

RKC Waalwijk earned their first win of the Eredivisie season in emphatic fashion as they came from behind to thrash Roda JC 4-1.

Having failed to score at home before this game, RKC made up for lost time as they replied to Willem Janssen's opener with goals from Fouad Idabdelhay, Charlison Benshop, Derk Boerrigter and Fred Benson.

Although RKC remain bottom of the table, their first points of the season will do much to lift the gloom at the Mandemakers Stadion.