Ajax are firmly back in the title picture after a 3-0 home victory over Heracles Almelo.
Ajax are firmly back in the title picture after a convincing 3-0 home victory over struggling Heracles Almelo.
With PSV Eindhoven out of sorts, Ajax have now cut the deficit at the top to just three points following Sunday's win at the Amsterdam ArenA.
Wesley Snejider put the hosts ahead on 11 minutes before Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored twice in the space of two minutes early in the second half to snuff out Heracles' hopes of a comeback.
Pierre van Hooijdonk pounced for a later winner to secure Feyenoord a 1-0 success at Vitesse Arnhem.
Feyenoord have endured a frustrating season, but Erwin Koeman's side were given a lift on Sunday as veteran striker Van Hooijdonk scored the only goal at Vitesse with 11 minutes remaining.
Excelsior boosted their hopes of survival in the top flight with a 3-1 triumph at home to bottom club ADO Den Haag, who finished the game with nine men.
Jarda Simr put Excelsior in front on 10 minutes and nine minutes later Den Haag had Samir El Moussaoui sent off.
Eldridge Rojer doubled Excelsior's lead on the half-hour mark before Ferry Bodde was dismissed for the visitors two minutes into the second half.
Daniel Guijo-Velasco scored the hosts' third on 61 minutes before Santi Kolk claimed a consolation for Den Haag.
Twente Enschede kept up their European hopes with a routine 3-0 home win over Utrecht, with Ramon Zomer scoring the first on 10 minutes.
Blaise N'Kufo added a second on 25 minutes before Twente had Sharbel Touma sent off. Kennedy Bakircioglu scored the third in injury-time.
Sparta Rotterdam came from two goals down to force a 2-2 draw at home to Heerenveen.
Petter Hansson and Garcia Gonzalo had the visitors in command at the midway point of the first half, but Darryl Roberts scored on 48 minutes after being introduced as a half-time substitute.
Sparta pinched a point when Sjaak Polak converted a penalty on 74 minutes.
Click below for an individual match summary:
Ajax 3-0 Heracles Almelo
Excelsior 3-1 ADO Den Haag
Sparta Rotterdam 2-2 Heerenveen
Twente Enschede 3-0 Utrecht
Vitesse Arnhem 0-1 Feyenoord
