Derby match saw Sparta tear Feyenoord

Derby match saw Sparta tear Feyenoord

Sparta Rotterdam came from behind to beat Feyenoord 2-1 in a feisty derby match which featured three red cards.

Feyenoord, looking to keep pace with the Eredivisie's leading trio, suffered their second defeat of the season despite going in front through Andre Bahia's 37th-minute goal.

Their problems began when Sekou Cisse was sent off five minutes into the second half and Rydell Poepon equalised for Sparta in the 57th minute.

Jon Dahl Tomasson became the second Feyenoord man off in the 59th minute and Poepon was dismissed for the hosts midway through the second period. Sparta's numerical advantage finally told when Kevin Strootman won it with six minutes to go.

Groningen and Utrecht settled for share of the spoils after a lacklustre clash at Euroborg finished 0-0.

Visiting goalkeeper Michel Vorm made a fantastic save to prevent Nicklas Pedersen sealing victory for Utrecht, who remain in fifth place in the Eredivisie.

Groningen, meanwhile, move above Roda JC on goal difference as they bid to pull away from the lower reaches of the table.

Ken Leemans' second-half equaliser for VVV-Venlo means they and Roda JC continue to struggle in the lower reaches of mid-table after a 1-1 draw.

Morten Skoubo, selected ahead of four-goal top-scorer Mads Junker, made his presence tell when he put Roda JC in front after 35 minutes.

But Leemans replied just after the hour mark when the visitors failed to adequately defend a corner.

RKC Waalwijk remain rooted to the foot of the table after Bas Dost's first-half strike condemned them to another defeat, 1-0 at home to Heracles Almelo.

After earning promotion last season RKC have made a desperate start to life in the top flight, losing eight of their nine games.

Their only points came in their previous home encounter when they thrashed Roda JC 4-1, but they never looked like replicating that display as Dost's 15th-minute goal proved decisive.

RKC's afternoon was soured further 14 minutes from the end when Benjamin De Ceulaer was sent off for a second bookable offence.

John Goossens grabbed a stunning equaliser as NEC Nijmegen claimed a point from a 1-1 draw against ADO Den Haag.

The visitors appeared on course for their third away win of the season when Bogdan Milic put them ahead shortly after the half-hour mark.

But Goossens fired in a 30-yard volley with 20 minutes to go to restore parity in a match between two sides lodged in mid-table.

On Saturday, a last-minute goal by Blaise Nkufo ensured FC Twente maintained their two-point lead at the top as they edged a 3-2 victory over AZ Alkmaar.

The hosts went ahead through Kenneth Perez nine minutes before half-time but AZ levelled through Mounir El Hamdaoui and an own goal by Peter Wisgerhof gave the Alkmaar side a 2-1 lead with half an hour to go.

Just two minutes later Bryan Ruiz brought Twente back into it and the match appeared to be heading for a draw before Nkufo's intervention brought the hosts all three points.

PSV Eindhoven are second after a goal by Danko Lazovic 10 minutes from time gave them a narrow win over Heerenveen.

That result keeps them one point ahead of Ajax while Heerenveen are third from bottom.

Ajax were emphatic 4-0 winners over Willem II who had Leo Veloso sent off 10 minutes from time.

The Amsterdam team went ahead on the stroke of half-time through Eyong Enoh with substitute Miralem Aulejmani doubling the lead two minutes after coming on.

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men before Marko Pantelic after 82 minutes and Luis Suarez with a minute left rounded off the emphatic victory.

NAC Breda were winners over Vitesse Arnhem by the same scoreline as they claimed their second home win of the season.

However, the visitors were forced to play with 10 men for 55 minutes after Frank van der Struijk was sent off for handling the ball in the penalty area.

Edwin De Graaf converted from the spot and Kees Kwakman then headed a second into the top-right corner, before Anthony Lurling netted twice to round off the result.