Eredivisie weekend round up: Ajax close gap on leaders
Ajax close the gap on leaders Feyenoord, PEC Zwolle secure derby win, while Sparta settle for a draw after last minute penalty miss, writes Neil Adderley.
Twente 0 v 0 Roda JC: Points shared in stalemate
Twente dropped two points as the home side failed to find a way past a stubborn Roda. It was a backs-to-the-wall performance from a Roda team who travelled to Enschede intent on not losing the game.
Twente controlled the game throughout but after Peet Bijen, Yaw Yeboah and Mateusz Klich failed to beat Roda keeper Benjamin van Leer, the Tukkers had to settle for a point.
Willem II 2 v 1 Groningen: Late goal seals first home win for Willem II
An 85th winner from Bartholomew Ogbeche saw Willem II move above Groningen. The Groningers had much of the play in the opening half but it was Willem II, through Funso Ojo and Ogbeche, that created the best chances.
Substitute Thom Haye eventually gave the Tilburgers a lead on 66 minutes only for the visitors to hit back 9 minutes later through Mimoun Mahi.
Both sides searched for a winner and it was the hosts that grabbed the points as Ogbeche headed home with five minutes on the clock.
Heracles Almelo 2 v 2 Sparta: Last minute penalty save denies Sparta victory
Bram Castro was the hero for Heracles as the keeper pulled off a last minute penalty save to rescue a point in Almelo. Zakaria El Azzouzi put the visitors in front tapping home from close range in the 44th minute.
Heracles hit back in the second period as firstly Brahim Darri brought the teams level on 66 minutes, before Brandley Kuwas looked to have given Heracles victory with eight minutes remaining.
However, Sparta responded almost immediately when Loris Brogno levelled matters in the 83rd minute.
As the game entered the final minute it seemed Sparta would return to Rotterdam with all three points only for Castro to push away a Thomas Verhaar penalty.
Vitesse Arnhem 0 v 2 PSV Eindhoven: Pereiro at the double for PSV
Champions PSV claimed victory in Arnhem with a goal in each half from striker Gaston Pereiro.
It was a less than convincing performance from Philip Cocu’s men as Vitesse took the game to PSV only for Pereiro to find the net on 12 minutes with the visitors first effort on goal.
Vitesse came closest to equalising through a Milot Rashica effort that came back off the crossbar, but it was
PSV who secured the points in injury time as Andres Guardado played in Pereiro to seal the PSV victory.
Ajax 1 v 0 Excelsior: Ziyech the key for wasteful Ajax
Ajax let a host of chances go begging and had Hakim Ziyech to thank for a tight victory over Excelsior.
Young striker Kasper Dolberg came closest before the break for the hosts, while Excelsior almost hit back on the counter through Mike van Duinen.
Aside from a fine 48th minute strike from Ziyech the second period delivered more missed opportunities for Ajax.
Midfielder Lasse Schone was wayward from the penalty spot on the hour mark, and the Dane was quickly followed by Amin Younes, Vaclav Cerny and Abdelhak Nouri in failing to beat Excelsior keeper Tom Muyters.
PEC Zwolle 3 v 1 Go Ahead Eagles: Zwolle win IJsell derby
PEC claimed victory in the first IJsell derby of the season in Zwolle. Ron Jans’ side came out firing and took an early lead through Queensy Menig who lifted the ball over advancing Eagles keeper Theo Zwarthoed.
Youness Mokhtar looked to have doubled the lead only to see his effort strike the crossbar, before Sander Fischer hit back for the visitors on the cusp of half time.
Marcel Ritzmaier hit the bar for Go Ahead in the opening stages of the second period, but it was Zwolle who struck again as Mustafa Saymak found the top corner in the 57th minute.
And PEC secured the derby bragging rights after 90 minutes when Danny Holla hit a free kick beyond Zwarthoed in the Go Ahead goal.
Utrecht 1 v 1 NEC Nijmegen: NEC hold Utrecht to claim point
Utrecht failed to claim a win despite dominating against a rugged NEC. Nacer Barazite, Yassin Ayoub and Sebastien Haller failed to give the hosts a deserved lead before Barazite eventually broke the deadlock after 35 minutes.
The second period saw a more adventurous NEC claim a foothold in the game, and the visitors were rewarded when 17 year old substitute Ferdi Kadioglu found the top corner with a stunning 62nd minute strike.
Feyenoord 2 v 2 Heerenveen: Frisians hold league leaders in Rotterdam
Feyenoord dropped points for the first time in the 2016/17 season last weekend in a draw at Ajax, and the league leaders were again held as Heerenveen claimed a deserved point at the Kuip.
Heerenveen came into the game in third place in the table and showed Feyenoord little respect as Sam Larsson combined with Arber Zeneli to set up a Reza Ghoochannejhad fifth minute opener.
Nicolai Jorgensen beat Heerenveen keeper Erwin Mulder to bring the sides level on 26 minutes, and the leaders went into the break ahead after Rick Karsdorp scored from the rebound after a Dirk Kuijt missed penalty.
The second half was a similarly even affair and the visitors levelled matters to claim a point when winger Zeneli collected a Morten Thorsby pass before rifling home past Feyenoord keeper Brad Jones.
ADO Den Haag 0 v 1 AZ Alkmaar: Late Muhren strike seals away win for AZ
An 87th minute Robert Muhren goal gave AZ a first win in four games. Both teams struggled to deliver much quality in a scrappy affair in Den Haag with a Ernestas Setkus save from AZ’s Derrick Luckassen the highlight of the first period.
The second half continued in a similar vein and with the game seemingly petering out to a goalless draw, up popped striker Muhren to steal all the points for the visitors.
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