Eredivisie round-up

PSV Eindhoven enjoyed a thumping win over VVV Venlo as Groningen and Zwolle also won, but AZ Alkmaar were held at home.

Dries Mertens and Jurgen Locadia fired hat-tricks as PSV Eindhoven rampaged to a 6-0 win over VVV-Venlo in the Eredivisie on Sunday. Four of the goals - including all of PSV substitute Locadia's efforts - came in the final quarter of an hour to give the scoreline a more lop-sided look than had appeared likely. Mark van Bommel's deft lob rebounded off the frame of the goal before Mertens emphatically slammed home Ola Toivonen's cross in the 23rd minute. He then curled home a second with the outside of his right foot in the 35th. VVV's Uche Nwofor, booked for a show of petulance after he appeared to be illegally prevented from shooting in the first half, received a second yellow card in the 65th minute and that, coupled with the introduction of Locadia three minutes later, allowed the visitors to swell their goal tally. Toivonen set up the Holland Under-19 international to mark his Eredivisie debut with a goal and Belgium striker Mertens completed his treble with a solo effort in the 79th minute. Locadia converted a cross from fellow substitute Wilfred Bouma three minutes later and the 18-year-old rounded off the scoring five minutes from time. The win leaves PSV three points behind leaders FC Twente, whose 100 per cent record was ended by defeat to Ajax on Saturday. FC Groningen's Michael de Leeuw also netted a hat-trick, including an injury-time winner, to earn his side a 3-2 success against 10-man Roda JC Kerkrade. De Leeuw tapped in Virgil van Dijk's knockdown in the 17th minute and Roda had Tamas Kadar sent-off straight from the restart for a foul denying a goalscoring opportunity. But they equalised on the stroke of half-time through Mark Jan Fledderus - who himself had been lucky to escape a red card in the early stages. De Leeuw scored again on 53 minutes but Amin Affane's 20-yard strike 12 minutes from time looked to have earned Ruud Brood's visiting side a point. Groningen had other ideas, though, and it was De Leeuw again who broke Roda's hearts in the final seconds. AZ Alkmaar twice let the lead slip before earning a 3-3 draw against RKC Waalwijk with a late equaliser. Adam Maher brilliantly set up AZ's opener for Viktor Elm, the Sweden midfielder arriving to head home his fourth goal in as many days following a midweek hat-trick against SC Veendam. Teddy Chevalier brilliantly beat his marker Etienne Reijnen to equalise in the 16th minute but Eredivisie top scorer Jozy Altidore restored AZ's lead in stunning fashion, slaloming through four defenders before firing into the bottom corner. The lead lasted only three minutes on this occasion, Frank van Mosselveld equalising after Rodney Sneijder's free-kick was blocked. AZ's recurring weakness from set-pieces reared its head early in the second half as Henrico Drost was left unmarked to head home a corner. The hosts had to wait until the 86th minute for their equaliser as Maher, who had earlier been denied by the woodwork, finished after Altidore flicked on substitute Mikhail Rosheuvel's cross. PEC Zwolle recorded their first win of the season, 1-0 away to Willem II Tilburg. Wiljan Plume struck a post in a goalless first half but Zwolle made the breakthrough straight after the interval when Bart van Hintum curled home a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area. Giovanni Gravenbeek came close to a second against his former club, but home keeper David Meul made an excellent one-handed save.