The ‘catch-up’ games of round 18 were completed last week and saw PSV keep winning as they kept up their challenge on Twente. In this round, 19, PSV hosted NEC Nijmegen and dominated the match completely. A brace from Toivonen contributed towards an excellent 3-0 victory.
Logo of the 'Philips Sport Vereniging' (sports club)
What then of Twente? Well, they went off to Groningen looking forward to all three points in all probability. However, the Groningers put up a good display and were unlucky not to win after hitting the woodwork a couple of times. Both sides had to settle for a 0-0 and Twente boss McLaren conceded after the match that the Northerners had been the better team.
And so there is a new leader at the top – PSV.
Elsewhere, there was also the little matter of a mouth-watering encounter as AZ Alkmaar visited the Amsterdam ArenA where Ajax came out on top in an entertaining, close game. A single goal from van der Wiel was the decider but for a long time AZ looked the slicker team, especially in the first half. The 1-0 result was a bit of a sickener for new AZ ‘part-time’ boss Dick Advocaat (he also runs the Belgian national team), and the ‘poisoned dwarf’ was sent to the stands by the referee after a verbal volley at the provocative actions of Suárez of Ajax after a heavy tackle.
Feyenoord Rotterdam travelled to Venlo to face VVV and had the better of the chances in an edgy first half though neither team managed to score. VVV opened brightly in the second period but as the game wore on Feyenoord looked the better side and veteran Tommasson eventually opened the scoring for them. Ten minutes from the end, however, VVV pushed forward and it was subsitute de Regt who headed home the equaliser in this 1-1 draw.
Vitesse visited Almelo for their game with Heracles. In an up-and-down match, Vitesse found their rhythm quicker than the home team and were soon enjoying a 0-2 lead. Heracles recovered a little in the second half but came no further than one single goal leaving the visitors all three points in a 1-2 win.
In Kerkrade, unfancied home team Roda popped in a goal either side of half-time to secure a surprisingly comfortable 2-0 victory against top six Utrecht and in a blinding snowstorm in Breda, NAC triumphed over visiting RKC Waalwijk thanks to a single goal from Leonardo.
Elsewhere, Heereveen welcomed Willem II and surprisingly it was Heereveen who twice had to come from behind before they could still the home critics with a good 4-2 win.
Finally, Sparta Rotterdam hosted ADO from the Hague in a league basement encounter. ADO created a good few chances in the first half but failed to convert any of them as both sides cancelled each other out. In the second half, Sparta striker John impressed with his crosses and long distance shots but it was Sparta who hit the bar and post in one shot which was to prove the closest to a goal for either of these unincisive teams. It ended 0-0.
Stand
As earlier intimated, it is now PSV in the lead by two points from Twente, followed at some distance by Ajax and Feyenoord. Heracles are fifth, Utrecht a point behind then its AZ, NAC and VVV in seventh to ninth spots. At the wrong end, it’s still RKC propping up the rest, two behind Willem II with ADO and NEC just above the bottom two.
Next week: PSV travel with confidence to Vitesse, Twente host Roda… but forget all that, it’s the ‘classic’ between Feyenoord and Ajax! Elsewhere Heracles troop off to Utrecht and AZ face Groningen in Alkmaar.
Tags: Eredivisie, football
