Ajax Amsterdam prepared for a heavy upcoming match schedule (6 games in 17 days) with a simple victory over hapless Willem II. The ArenA crowd were treated to four home goals for no reply including yet another for division top scorer Suárez. The result of the corresponding fixture last year was 7-0 so you could say this was an improvement from the team from Tilburg. Except that it could have been even more than seven this time if Ajax had taken a few more of their innumerable chances.
RKC Waalwijk's 'Mandemakers' stadium (named after main sponsor)
The top Saturday match was FC Twente against AZ Alkmaar in Enschede. And it was no disappointment for the neutral specatator as Steve McLaren’s Twente took all three points in an exciting 3-2 game. Twente are even now trying to arrange a contract extension for the popular English manager. The winning goal came from striker N’Kufo in injury time, leaving AZ manager Ronald Koeman almost speechless in his post-match tv interview. AZ are in a fair amount of financial trouble at present, as their main sponsor, the DSB Bank, is due to be declared bankrupt by Monday morning at 9am if no buyer can be found to stump up the Euro 100M needed. Koeman has no idea how the whole affair will pan out but it does not look good for the Alkmaar team’s immediate future.
PSV Eindhoven (strangers to financial difficulties with their Philips connections) were meanwhile making a meal of their home match-up with Fresian outfit SC Heereveen. Eventually, Lazovic was the PSV hero on the day, knocking in a rebound off the post towards the end of the game.
Ajax were not the only team to win 4-0 this weekend. NAC Breda leapt over fellow mid-tablers Vitesse Arnhem with the same score. They were clearly not put off their mission by Vitesse playing most of the match with ten men after van der Struijk was sent off for handball in a disputed penalty incident. Midfielder Lurling chipped in with a brace to seal the win for the Breda team.
There was a surprise result in the Rotterdam derby on the Sunday between Sparta and Feyenoord. The ‘little’ team Sparta came out with a fine 2-1 home victory, only the second defeat for Feyenoord in this campaign. Again red cards were a feature of the match, Sparta losing striker Poepon and Feyenoord their strikers Cissé and Tomasson. A goal from Sparta forward Strootman near the end secured all the points for Sparta.
Strugglers FC Groningen may be said to have done well with a home 0-0 against FC Utrecht. The Northerners had a few decent chances but failed to find the net against the ‘cathedral city’ in an otherwise disappointing encounter.
VVV Venlo hosted fellow strugglers Roda JC Kerkrade but came no further than a 1-1 draw. For the second week in a row VVV had a lead and failed to preserve it despite playing the better football and having more chances. Four lost points they may rue at the end of the season.
In Nijmegen, NEC shared two goals and as many points with visiting ADO from the Hague (1-1). NEC were saved by a wonder goal from Goossens after a fine header from Milic had given the ADO the lead. Both teams remain as they were, mid-table but with a point extra each.
Heracles Almelo did themselves some good with a 0-1 away victory at Waalwijk, where RKC could not escape their considerable financial woes on the field of play as they lost their ninth match in ten. Dost scored the winner after 15 minutes for Heracles who registered their third away win this season and jumped a few places in the table in the process.
Standings
It’s now Twente at the top with 26 points from ten games, followed by PSV two points behind and Ajax in third place, one point further removed. The ‘subtop’ now sees Feyenoord on 20 points, Utrecht on 19 and then a bit of a gap to haunted AZ on 15. At the bottom, it’s still RKC four points adrift from second bottom place on 3 points, with Willem II and Heereveen occupying the other relegation places.
Next week: top match next week is on the Sunday, when AZ face Ajax in Alkmaar. Leaders Twente host Groningen, PSV travel to NEC and Feyenoord welcome VVV. Utrecht are at home to Roda and Heracles go to Arnhem to face Vitesse. RKC look unlikely to add to their meagre total as they head off to NAC but Willem II may fancy their chances at home to fellow relegation candidates Heereveen.
Tags: Eredivisie, football
