The Eredivisie reached round 12 just before the final international break of the calendar year. Heracles continued their revival, while Ajax changed their head coach but were unable to change their current fortunes. Here is our review of the latest action in the Eredivisie.
Fridayโs action: Telstar earn draw away from home
Telstar travelled to Twente on Friday night knowing they would have to defend well to take anything from the game. Despite their opponents registering 27 shots, Telstar were able to hold on thanks to a top performance from goalkeeper Ronald Koeman who made seven saves. It looked like their hard work would be undone late on when Mohamed Hamdaoui was sent off in the 90th minute. Twente were unable to take advantage in the final minutes and Kristian Hlynsson picked up his second yellow in the 97th minute.
Saturdayโs action: Heracles resurgent as PEC Zwolle bounce back
Heracles followed up their thrashing of PEC Zwolle with another three points in the Eredivisie. Noah Kaujoks had given Excelsior an early lead, but goals from Walid Ould-Chikh and Luka Kulenovic meant Heracles have back to back wins and are now level on points with Telstar and just one point behind Excelsior.
FC Volendam made it three wins in four games with victory over NAC Breda on Saturday afternoon. Nick Verschurenโs own goal had given the away side the lead in the first half. Former Tottenham and Hamburg midfielder Lewis Holtby was sent off shortly after the break. Veteran striker Henk Veerman took advantage almost immediately by grabbing his fourth goal of the Eredivisie season. His fellow veteran presence in the team Robert Muhren made it 2-1 with just over 10 minutes to go and helped Volendam leapfrog their opponents into 13th.
Fortuna Sittard bounced back from three Eredivisie defeats on the bounce with a 2-0 home win over an in form SC Heerenveen. Paul Gladon made it 1-0 after an hour mark, with the home side doubling up in the 66th minute from the spot. Mohammed Ihattaren converted to grab his fourth of the Eredivisie season and a welcome three points for his side.
PEC Zwolle put their defensive disaster against Heracles behind them with a narrow 1-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam. The inform Kaj de Rooij scored his fourth goal in three games to decide the game. Sparta were reduced to 10 men late on when Teo Quintero was given a second yellow card. The win means PEC Zwolle move out of the bottom three and have a two point gap to Excelsior.
Sundayโs action: Woes continue for Ajax, defeat for Feyenoord and a big win for PSV
FC Utrecht followed up their entertaining 1-1 draw with Porto in the week with a win over Ajax. Matisse Didden gave the hosts the lead just on the stroke of half time, with Cote dโIvoire striker Sebastien Haller making it two shortly after the break. Mika Godts did pull one back almost immediately for Ajax, but they were unable to find an equaliser. Fred Grimโs first game in charge ends in defeat and seeโs the side now with a record of just one win in their last five games.
NEC Nijmegen had to wait till the second half to grab three points against Groningen. After a goalless opening 45, Kodai Sano and Kento Shiogai scored within 10 minutes of each other to earn NEC all three points. Both sides remain in the top seven and are having promising seasons so far.
PSV were the real winners of the weekend with a thumping win away to AZ Alkmaar. The in form side went top of the Eredivisie thanks to goals from Mauro Junior and Joey Veerman alongside an impressive hat-trick from the inform Guus Til. Sven Mijnans had got one back for the home side to make it 3-1 at the break, but the defending champions were too good in the end for AZ. PSV have only drawn one of their last five games now.
Go Ahead Eagles knocked Feyenoord off the top spot with a 2-1 win on Sunday evening. Mats Deijl had given the Eagles the lead from the spot after 13 minutes, and both sides had to wait till the final minutes of the game for more goals to come. It was the hosts who scored their second in the 86th minute, with Mathis Suray providing an assist to Dean James. Ysuyoshi Watanabe scored shortly after to give Feyenoord hope, but in the end they fell to a defeat and slipped to second in the Eredivisie.
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