The Eredivisie kicked off this weekend with PSV Eindhoven travelling to Heracles on Saturday with the league leaders hoping to make it 11 wins out of 11 against a mid-table Heracles team. The hosts did not start well, after only 19 minutes they were down to 10 men after Justin Hoogma gave away a penalty and was subsequently sent off, leaving Luuk de Jong to convert the spot-kick and put the visitors one up. A goal from Jerdy Schouten just before the break saw the team from Eindhoven go into the second half 2-0 up. Then the game went away from Heracles as PSV showed their class, the league leaders put on a show and finished the game by winning six goals to nil with all six goals being scored by a different player. Tilman, Ramalho Silva, Til and Pepi, alongside de Jong and Schouten all managed to get there name on the scoresheet, which now leaves PSV with 33 points out of a possible 33, a perfect start to the season for the club.
Elsewhere Feyenoord were looking to move up in the standings, after starting the weekend in fourth they believed their league position should be closer to that of PSV, they took on RKC Waalwijk at the weekend. The Rotterdammers did not get of to the best start, going down 1-0 from a goal from Denilho Cleonise after 25 minutes, however Quinten Timber was able to get one back to level the game after 35 minutes. In additional time of the first half a penalty was given to Feyenoord following a VAR review for a challenge by Shawn Adewoye, the defender was subsequently sent off for his challenge, leaving Waalwijk down to 10 men for 45 minutes and the potential to go behind before the break. However Feyenoord’s top scorer, Santiago Giménez was unable to convert the spot-kick, meaning it was even at the break. However, the hosts found it difficult playing with 10 men and eventually Feyenoord made the break through they were looking for as defender Bart Nieuwkoop was able to put the visitors 2-1 up. Feyenoord finished the game winning 2-1 and climbed to third in the table.
The other two games on Saturday was Excelsior vs AZ Alkmaar and Go Ahead Eagles vs Vitesse. The game between Excelsior and Alkmaar was somewhat of a bleak affair with not much to report from the first half. After 65 minutes Alkmaar boss, Pascal Jansen made a triple substitution to try and turn the game around and it was the substitution of striker Mayckel Lahdo for Jens Odgaard which paid dividends with the Swedish striker put the visitors a goal up after 72 minutes. It looked as though the team in second place in the Eredivisie were going to make it four consecutive wins in the league, however midfielder Cisse Sandra had different ideas and a minute into added on time brought the game level again. The game ended 1-1 after 101 minutes, this leaves AZ Alkmaar seven points off leaders PSV after only eleven games.
The final game on Saturday saw Go Ahead Eagles host Vitesse at De Adelaarshorst, the hosts experienced a comfortable 5-1 victory over relegation candidates Vitesse. Two goals from Willumsson, as well as goals from Oliver Edvardsen, Victor Edvardsen and Joris Kramer saw the fifth placed side win their first game in two games but continue their four game unbeaten streak. Ex-Chelsea player Marco van Ginkel scored the consolation goal for the visitors.
There were five games on Sunday, starting at in Utrecht were FC Utrecht took on FC Twente. The hosts got off to a good start scoring after 23 minutes through Oscar Luigi Fraulo, but only for Sem Steijn to get one back after a penalty was awarded to the visitors. Twente went into the game in third position int he league but their afternoon was made more difficult as midfeilder Michal Sadilek was sent off for a second yellow card, meaning the visitors had to play the final 25 minutes with 10 mens, the game somewhat petered out after Twente went down to 10 as the game ended 1-1 after 97 minutes. FC Twente dropped from third to fourth as a result of draw, while Utrecht climbed one place and now find themselves one off the bottom in 17th position.
FC Volendam were also in the bottom three going into the weekends fixtures, with the team from Nord-Holland travelled to NEC Nijmegen on Sunday afternoon, they were hoping to gain something from the game. The game was one of the most entertaining of the weekend in the Eredivisie, finishing 3-3 with 3 goals coming after 90 minutes a red card after only 38. Nijmegen striker Koki Ogawa put the hosts ahead after just 6 minutes, and the hosts were denied a second after 23 minutes due to a VAR review. Volendam were able to level the game though striker Robert Mühren after 34 minutes, just minutes before NEC midfielder Elayis Tavşan was sent off for a second yellow card. It was not until the 78th minute that the game kicked off, Volendam went 2-1 ahead through Milan de Haan before NEC levelled the game again in the 91st minute through a penalty from Magnus Mattsson. The entertainment did not stop there though as Calvin Twigt thought he had won it for the visitors as he put Volendam 3-2 up after 96 minutes, but it was Striker Koki Ogawa who had the last say and scored his second of the game in the 98th minute to bring the game to a close at 3 goals a piece.
Goals from Davy van den Berg and Odysseus Velanas saw PEC Zwolle complete a 2-0 win over Fortuna Sittard, leaving Zwolle in eighth after 11 games, while Fortuna sit at 14th in the table. Sixth placed Sparta Rotterdam took on Almere FC at the weekend with the hosts aiming to close the game to Twente and the teams in the top four. However they were unable to make it back to back wins as they lost 2-1 to Almere, goals from Thomas Robinet and Kornelius Normann Hansen helped the team to victory and Sparta were only able to score a consolation goal through Joshua Kitolano in the 84th minute.
The final game of the week saw AFC Ajax take on SC Heerenveen on Sunday with the Amsterdammers looking to turn their season around and make it two wins out of two under the new management of John Van ‘t Schip. Hugo Hargreaves covered the game and you can read a more in-depth review of the 4-1 win for the home side. Ajax now find themselves 11th in the league, if they are able to win their game in hand they could move up to 6th in the table but would still be 11 points off 4th spot and the ability to play European football next season. Ultimately European football will be the aim of this Ajax side but it will take a lot work and dedication for their goals to become reality after their terrible start to the season.
GBeNeFNÂ |Â Max Mumford
