Wednesday 3 April 2019 23:12, UK
David Neres scored a second-half double as Ajax moved back to the top of the Eredivisie - for a day at least - by storming to a 5-2 victory at second-bottom Emmen.
Donny van de Beek put the visitors ahead in the 10th minute and Daley Blind doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time.
Ajax kicked into overdrive on the resumption with three goals in the space of nine minutes, with Neres to the fore as the Champions League contenders sealed a convincing win, exactly one week before their quarter-final first leg against Juventus.
Neres made it three in the 52nd minute and then doubled his tally for the evening just after the hour mark, with Klaas Jan Huntelaar scoring his 11th of the season in between.
Nicolas Tagliafico put into his own net in the 63rd minute while Jafar Arias struck in the closing stages to give an air of respectability to the scoreline.
But there was never any scent of a remarkable comeback and Ajax leapfrogged title rivals PSV Eindhoven, who could reclaim top spot by beating PEC Zwolle on Thursday.
Utrecht twice came from a goal down before romping to a stunning 6-2 win at VVV-Venlo.
Johnathan Opoku and Patrick Joosten scored either side of Riechedly Bazoer's leveller midway through the first half to give VVV a half-time lead, but they were blown away on the resumption.
Bazoer scored once again to even things up while Danny Post's own goal and Sean Klaiber's effort just after the hour put Utrecht in command.
Sander Van De Streek and substitute Michiel Kramer also scored to help Utrecht consolidate fifth place in the table.
Giovanni Korte struck midway through the second half before Menno Koch scored in the dying seconds to give NAC a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Excelsior, who had gone ahead after half an hour through Mounir El Hamdaoui.
Victory could prove vital for NAC, who are now five points adrift of safety.
Fortuna Sittard and ADO Den Haag boosted their survival prospects with a 0-0 draw. Fortuna played the majority of the match with 10 men following the 33rd-minute dismissal of Jose Rodriguez.
