PSV Eindhoven kicked off their Eredivisie title defence by smashing six goals past Sparta to go straight to the top of the table.

Any fears that the champions might be short of firepower following the departure of Malik Tillman, Noa Lang and Luuk de Jong were banished as six different players provided the goals, including debutants Ruben van Bommel and Yarek Gasiorowski.

Van Bommel opened the scoring after just three minutes with an exquisite shot with the outside of his right boot that wrong-footed Joel Drommel at his near post.

Gasiorowski had the last word with a 77th-minute header, partly compensating for his blunder earlier in the second half that presented Sayfallah Ltaief with the chance to score a consolation goal for the Rotterdamers.

Tough start for Telstar

Telstar’s first Eredivisie match for 47 years ended in a 2-0 defeat at Ajax, with Wout Weghorst scoring both goals for the home side.

The visitors were in contention until the 83rd minute, thanks to some wasteful finishing by Ajax and outstanding goalkeeping by Ronald Koeman Jr, but the son of the national team coach allowed Weghorst to beat him to the ball at a corner for the second goal.

Feyenoord’s star summer signing Sem Steijn also wasted no time in making his mark in De Kuip as he fired in a free-kick in the third minute against NAC Breda. Steijn set up the second goal in the 55th minute when his blocked shot was turned in by Ayase Ueda.

NEC bag five

NEC Nijmegen made an imposing start under new coach Dick Schreuder with a 5-0 win against newly promoted Excelsior, with Koke Ogawa scoring twice in seven second-half minutes after Dirk Proper had opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Utrecht scored three times in the last 30 minutes against Heracles to rack up a comfortable opening-day win. Gjivai Zechiël, newly arrived on loan from Feyenoord, headed in in the 33rd minute before David Min, Victor Jensen and Dani de Wit all found the net in the second half.

AZ raced into a three-goal lead after 32 minutes against Groningen, with Troy Parrott scoring a penalty and having a header deflected past Hidde Jurjus off Stije Resink’s back.

Groningen entertained hopes of a comeback when Jeroen Zoet horribly misjudged Marco Rente’s header just before half-time, but Parrott had the last word with a right-foot curler in the 87th minute.

Go Ahead snatch draw

Fortuna Sittard and cup winners Go Ahead Eagles shared the points in the opening match of the season on Friday. An own goal by Shawn Adewoye gave Go Ahead the lead in the first half, but Philip Brittijn equalised just before half-time.

The points looked to be heading Fortuna’s way when Luka Tunjic scored in the 85th minute, after the visitors had been reduced to 10 men when Calvin Twigt was sent off for a lunging tackle on Kristoffer Peterson. But Gerrit Nauber pounced on a loose ball from a 94th-minute corner to salvage a point.

Thijs Oosting’s long-range goal for PEC Zwolle was enough to beat his father Joseph’s team, FC Twente, while Ozan Kökcü’s second-half equaliser earned a point for Volendam on their return to the top flight at Heerenveen.

Friday

Fortuna Sittard 2-2 Go Ahead Eagles

Saturday

Feyenoord 2-0 NAC Breda

NEC Nijmegen 5-0 Excelsior

PEC Zwolle 1-0 Twente Enschede

PSV Eindhoven 6-1 Sparta Rotterdam

Sunday

Ajax 2-0 Telstar

AZ Alkmaar 4-1 Groningen

Heerenveen 1-1 Volendam

Utrecht 4-0 Heracles Almelo