– Compiled by Enochulator –

It was an exciting week for Dutch fans, as their normal league matches were followed up by the next week’s European matches. The teams from Holland represented their nation well, with both Alkmaar and PSV earning draws, while Twente got a full 3 points from their group stage game. Ajax also made a superb showing in the Champions League, trouncing Dinamo Zagreb 4-0. This leaves them in a very respectable second in their group, who is led by Spanish giants Real Madrid. In the league, AZ continued their winning ways, despite a nerve-wracking last few minutes of their match.

NAC Breda 3-1 VVV Venlo

The action started on Friday with Breda hosting VVV. One could immediately feel the impact of NAC’s immense home support, as Botteghin put a powerful header into the net to put NAC ahead only 3 minutes in. However, Venlo put themselves back into the game as a poor kick from Breda’s keeper deflected off of VVV forward Linsenn back into his own net, making the match one all. Things began looking poor for VVV midway through the first half, though, as Ferry de Regt pulled the goalscorer, Botteghin down, earning him a second yellow and giving NAC a penalty, which Donny Gorter deftly converted. Omer Bayram showed his strength near the end of the first half as he shouldered a VVV defender off the ball, then proceeded to drive home from outside the box, making the score 3-1. The home side kept their tempo up in the second half, and it took a superb save from VVV’s keeper to deny Lurling giving Breda a fourth goal. There would be no more scoring from either side, and NAC would earn a well deserved 3 points.

FC Twente 2-2 PSV Eindhoven

Former champions Twente hosted PSV in the first Saturday match. Again, the first goal of the match came from a corner, and Twente’s Douglas kept his feet despite being a bit of shoving, and put a low, driven shot into the corner of PSV’s net in the 10th minute. Also similarly, PSV hit back immediately, and a miscue from Labyad sent Twente’s keeper the wrong way, levelling the score. Left back Tamata then went down to injury in the 19th, and PSV was forced to replace him with Jetro Willems. Neither side could finish again until the 64th minute, when PSV’s Marcelo gave them their first lead of the match with a well placed header that Mihaylov could not react to in time. Things looked dire for the hosts until a controversial decision ended in PSV’s Stroot receiving a straight red card. Twente took advantage of this in the 78th when Leroy Fer managed to convert a low cross, giving Twente their second goal. Both sides managed to hit the post in the remaining minutes, but the soccer gods seemed determined to keep the match level, and both sides ended with a point.

Excelsior 1-0 RKC Waalwijk

Excelsior’s home fans were delighted this weekend when their side won their first match of the campaign, albeit not through their own merit. In the 17th minute, Arv van Peppen deflected a seemingly not dangerous Excelsior free kick into his own net. RKC regained their composure, though, and sent shot after shot against Excelsior keeper De Ruiter, who showed his worth on a cold Saturday evening. Excelsior were not without their own chances as well, but could not finish. RKC were doomed to another away defeat when Drost was given a red card for a professional foul. This would be their fourth away defeat of the season. Maybe Excelsior can make something of this bit of momentum, and show their fans a silver lining to a currently dismal season.

Heerenveen 4-0 ADO Den Haag

A Bas Dost hat trick would give the hosts a decisive victory in the Saturday’s third game. This time, the sides would take a bit longer to show their offensive prowess (or defensive inability), and the scoring didn’t start until Luciano Narsigh put the ball between ADO’s keeper’s legs in the 43rd minute. This scoreline would hold until the late in the game, when a combination of Bas Dost getting into his groove and ADO’s defence simply collapsing led to 3 goals in ten minutes for the former Heracles striker. It began with ADO being reduced to 10 men for a foul in the box, and Bas Dost converting the penalty in the 77th minute. A second penalty was awarded to Heerenveen minutes later, which Bas Dost scored again. Finally, Bas Dost scored his first goal of the match from open play, finishing a low cross in the 82nd.

Roda JC Kerkrade 0-4 Ajax Amsterdam

The final match of the evening resulted in a crucial away victory for Ajax, who still hope to challenge high flying AZ Alkmaar for the title. The young Dane, Eriksen began the goalscoring in the 6th minute with a clinical finish. Both fans were put on the edge of their seats in the 23rd minute, when it took a near goal line clearance from Ajax’s defence to deny Roda their first goal. The home side looked good to tie it up throughout the first half, hoping that their sheer effort could put the ball in the net. Unfortunately, this is not possible. Early into the second half, a failed offside trap resulted in Theo Jansenn with a one on one with the keeper, which he sent into the lower right corner of the net in the 50th minute. In the 57th, an incredible pass put the Ajax offense through, and Jody Lukoki blasted the ball into the back of the net. Lorenzo Ebecilio put the cap on a great Ajax performance when he finished from a tough angle in the 85th.

De Graafschap 0-1 Vitesse Arnhem

De Graafschap were left in a worrying position on the league table following a home defeat to Vitesse on Sunday. Vitesse nearly went ahead in the 3rd minute, but their free kick was denied by a diving De Winter save. De Graafschap were also denied in the 30th when a forward attempted an obscene number of step-overs in the penalty area, and the Vitesse defender simply took the ball from him in what was probably the easiest tackle of the game. Wilfried Bony finally converted in the 70th, though, and Vitesse earned the second away victory of the weekend.

FC Groningen 6-0 Feyenoord

The second Sunday match was an odd one. Hosts FC Groningen trampled their Rotterdam guests, with scoring starting as early as the 1st minute. Dusan Tudic fired a shot across the goal to begin the Groningen domination following a a ping pong possession in midfield. Kieftenbeld continued in the 16th minute with a screamer, making the score two to nil. Moments later, the honours were shared among the Groningen players, as Andersson volleyed a cross home in the 18th. Feyenoord were left shell-shocked, and Bacuna again took advantage of their defensive collapse, powering another cross in on the 57th mark. Halfway through the second half, Feyenoord’s woes deepened as Fernandez was given a straight red for supposedly knocking a Groningen player in the face. Van Dijk made it 5-0 in the 89th minute, and South Korean international Suk Hyun Jun finished the scoring with a header in the 90th. Can Feyenoord recover from such a hefty defeat and still challenge for the title?

NEC 3-1 FC Utrecht

Another early goal led to Utrecht’s defeat in the next to last game of the weekend. For reasons unknown, Roberto Fernandez decided to be cute in the his own penalty area with the ball, and gave the ball away to NEC, leaving Schone to fire into an empty net, giving the hosts the lead in the 3rd minute. The well named Leroy George doubled their lead in the 13th minute, leaving Utrecht’s defenders in the dust, and putting the ball in between Fernandez’s legs. Fernandez’s woes continued in the 74th minute, and a direct free kick bounced off of the post and then an unaware Fernandez to make NEC the assured victors. Moments later, Utrecht would earn a consolation goal through a penalty kick, which was converted by Jacob Mulenga.

SC Heracles Almelo 0-1 AZ Alkmaar

The final game of this week was hotly contested until very late in the game. AZ almost went ahead in the 23rd, but two deflections off of Heracles defenders left the game on level terms. This would be the story for most of the match, with a heroic effort from Heracles’ defensive line denying AZ time after time. Unfortunately, it took only a moment of magic from Adam Maher to put league leaders Alkmaar ahead in the 89th minute. However, the match wasn’t over, and Heracles earned a free kick in a dangerous position 2 minutes into stoppage time. The ensuing shot was deflected for a home corner, and Heracles keeper Pasveer nearly made himself the hero with a back-heel shot, but it was deflected, leaving Heracles with a heartbreaking 0 points earned from the weekend. AZ’s defensive consistency has surely earned them their position at the top of the table.