The Dutch Eredivisie served up another week of great football. The leagueโs sixth matchweek had it all, as there were clashes in the tableโs upper reaches, eyebrow-raising scorelines, and unfortunate injury news.
Friday night action: Twente thrash Sparta Rotterdam to kick off John van den Bromโs reign
This was Twenteโs first match under new boss John van den Brom, and Ramiz Zerrouki made sure it got off to a flying start. In the 13th minute, the Feyenoord loanee returned to Rotterdam with a bang, working the ball onto his left foot from range before pinging a beauty in off the underside of Joel Drommelโs crossbar.
Although a slight dent in the armour arose in the 24th minute, as Tobias Lauritsen slotted in a rebound from an initial Lars Unnerstall save, the scoring resumed with the visitorsโ regained momentum in the second half.
With a strike nearly as good as Zerroukiโs, Kristian Hlynsson curled the ball into the left side of the goal in the 51st minute after Marko Pjacaโs cross-box pass found him on the edge. Just 10 minutes later, the deficit grew to 3-1. Bart van Rooij just didnโt give up on his attack cutting in from the right, and he eventually stuffed the ball into the top-right corner after regaining possession on the edge of the Sparta box.
Now the floodgates were truly open, and Ricky van Wolfswinkel added a fourth goal four minutes later as he tucked away a Mats Rots cross from the left with aplomb. The fifth and final goal came five minutes from time to wrap up a brilliant day. In a rapid counterattack, Arno Verschueren raced down the right, before his low cross was met by Naci Unuvar with a lovely first-time take.
Saturday Fixtures
A relatively even game in the tableโs lower reaches kicked off Saturdayโs fixtures, as Excelsior beat FC Volendam away at the Kras Stadion. Szymon Wlodarczyk gave the visitors the lead in the 10th minute from close range as he latched onto a pinpoint Gyan de Regt cross from the left.
After this, the hosts upped the pressure just ahead of the interval, with Brandley Kuwas striking the bar before young Robin van Cruijsen restored parity. It was some way to open your senior account, as the 19-year-old whipped a wonderful, curling left-footed strike from outside the area into the top-left corner.
In a scrappy, equally matched contest with chances at both ends, this fantastic effort shouldโve been the catalyst for Volendam. However, the game unfortunately slipped from their grasp as a valiant away performance prevailed and Excelsior grabbed all three points in the final seconds of stoppage time. Simon Janssen crossed from the left, and Rick Meissen headed back across for Lewis Schouten to nod home.
FC Groningen won their third home match of the season on Saturday, beating Telstar 2-0 at the Euroborg Stadion.
The newly-promoted visitors started well in this one, and nearly pierced the home atmosphere when Tyrese Noslin played in Kay Tejan to hit the bar inside the first 15 minutes.
Following this, and more promising moves from the visitors, Groningen displayed their quality to devastating effect. After Thom van Bergen won a foul, Younes Taha stepped up from 30 yards and powered an emphatic free-kick into the top-right corner.
Following this, the game was personified by brief flashes on goal and two spells where either side couldโve stolen the win. However, after a continued spell of pressure from Telstar gave out, it would be Groningen to double their lead late on. Wouter Prins robbed possession from Noslin on the left and crossed well for Oskar Zawada to finish coolly first time.
Fortuna Sittard forced Utrecht to their second defeat on the bounce, prevailing 1-0 in Limburg. The hosts were buoyed by Mohamed Ihattaren, and it was his 15th-minute finish from close range that was the main difference maker.
Kristoffer Peterson crossed low from the left, and the visitors just couldnโt get clear as Ihattaren forced a save from Vasilios Barkas before prodding in at the second time of asking.
Ultimately, as the Domstedelingen chased a response for the rest of the match, Mattijs Branderhorstโs five saves were crucial in keeping the score the same. This also saw him voted Fotmobโs MOTM as Utrecht peppered the home sideโs goal.
Saturdayโs last game saw NAC Breda notch their second win of the league campaign, as they beat lowly Heracles Almelo 2-1 at the Rat Verlegh Stadion. Heraclesโ form has been abysmal, and their search for a first win of the season goes on, even after Yvandro Borges Sanchesโ 11th-minute opener.
The visitors look destined for the second tier already, which is a bleak suggestion backed up by their failure to keep a lead. Boy Kemper was the man of the moment, as he first scrambled an effort home just before the hour mark, before turning provider later on. Heracles failed to see out a draw, as NAC threw bodies forward.
In the 85th minute, a left-sided corner flew in, and Kemper flicked it on for Sydney van Hooijdonk, fresh from suspension, to nod home for the win.
Sunday Fixtures
Go Ahead Eagles were victorious in the latest, and 110th, IJsselderby this weekend. The 2-0 victory over PEC Zwolle was admittedly a late extravaganza, as Milan Smitโs double arrived in the last 10 minutes. However, it undoubtedly helped that the hosts were down to 10 men in the first two minutes. Jamiro Monteiro received his marching orders after a high boot to the face of Mats Deijl just couldnโt be overlooked.
After this, the breakthrough initially didnโt feel like it was going to come. Especially with the exploits of home keeper Tom de Graaff. He looked to be in solid form as he notably denied Richonell Margaretโs with a fine reflex save in the 67th minute.
For all their efforts, though, PEC ultimately couldnโt hold out, as the Eagles kept a frenetic attacking tempo. Smit found the breakthrough in the 80th minute, rising highest to nod a left-sided Oscar Pettersson ball into the right of the goal. Then, he grabbed his second in stoppage time, delicately chipping De Graaff after a lightning-fast counter from a PEC chance.
Up next, PSV welcomed Ajax to the Philips Stadion for the first โBig Threeโ meeting of the season. This four-goal game was split perfectly down the middle, and, unfortunately for both, gave Feyenoord the upper hand in the early tableโs formation.
Ismael Saibariโs header from six yards followed a great Ivan Perisic cross to put the hosts in front just seven minutes in. This was then cancelled out by Sergino Destโs foul on Oliver Edvardsen in the box. After VARโs lengthy involvement, the penalty was awarded, and Kenneth Taylor slotted home in the 31st minute.
After this, PSV were unlucky not to regain the lead. In a frustrating few minutes, the hosts were denied on the line by Youri Regeer before the next phase saw Ruben van Bommel, the player heโd stopped, go down holding his knee after a relatively inconspicuous challenge. Unfortunately, the wingerโs season looks to have ended here, with whatโs been only described as โa serious knee injuryโ by the club, keeping him out for the rest of the season.
In the second half, PSV rode the Ajax pressure well, and looked to have saved a winner for the 81st minute with Yarek Gasiorowskiโs towering header. However, Oscar Gloukh had other ideas, slotting the ball through Matej Kovarโs legs to rescue the point in the 89th minute.
NEC Nijmegen played out another typically frenetic encounter this weekend, as they lost 3-2 away to Heerenveen as the Friesland side gratefully grabbed their first win of the league season.
Ringo Meerveld got the first goal, poking in from a goalmouth scramble in the 26th minute after an initially deflected Jacob Trenskow cross forced a save from Gonzalo Crettaz.
Heerenveenโs second came five minutes after the interval, as Trenskow was involved again. This time, the Dane channelled his inner Lionel Messi, and burst away on a counter in from the right. This saw him nutmeg Kodai Sano and then play in Dylan Vente inside the right of the box. The Suriname international made the most of that superb wing play and fired back across to find the bottom-left corner.
Twelve minutes after this, Trenskow added a goal of his own to his MOTM haul. Again, it involved superb build-up play, as Meerveld rouletted around his markers before the ball broke for Trenskow to shape past a diving Crettaz. Despite being three down, credit has to go NEC, as they proved just why theyโre one of the most exciting sides to watch this season.
A 65th-minute Koki Ogawa header quickly stifled the Heerenveen celebrations, as the leagueโs joint-top scorers came back to life. Sami Ouaissa added a second goal following a lovely give-and-go inside the area from the right with Ogawa. However, it would be too little too late, as the hosts won out. The final action came more out of frustration and protection, as Tjaronn Chery received a stoppage-time red card for smashing Oliver Braude after his nasty challenge left Vito van Crooij in a crumpled heap.
AZ Alkmaarโs welcoming of league leaders Feyenoord got off to a great start as the final match of the weekend. Ro-Zangelo Daal broke the deadlock with an amazing strike in the 24th minute, cutting in from the left to place a rocket in the top-right corner from the edge of the box.
While the Rotterdam side responded from the spot with Sem Steijn in the 36th minute after a Wouter Goes handball, AZ jumped back in front just after the half-time break. Denso Kasius started the second period in flying form, driving into the area after being fed by Mexx Meerdink on halfway, and curling a low shot inside the left post.
This lead lasted just five minutes, as Jordan Bos powered in a deflected effort, yet the next spell of drama was saved for the final exchanges. The next goal came in the 78th minute as a fine Feyenoord move flowed inside the left side of the AZ area from Timber, to Bos, to Steijn. The captain then move on a delightfully skilled flick for Anis Hadj Moussa to slam past Rome Owusu-Oduro on the right.
It was a brilliant goal, but AZ were prepared to push on. After Anel Ahmedhodzic received a 90th-minute second yellow for a body check, the Alkmaarders kept up the momentum, earning a penalty deep into stoppage time. It was a tired challenge from Jaden Slory, but it still brought down Weslley Pinto, and allowed Meerdink to rifle home his penalty for a late 3-3 draw.
League table after Matchweek 6
Top goalscorers after Matchweek 6
FotMob Team of the Week
GBeNeFNย |ย Max Bradfield
