ADO Den Haag began their Eredivisie campaign in style with a 5-2 victory over Sparta Rotterdam.
Den Haag begin in style, while Feyenoord slip up
ADO Den Haag began their 2008/09 Eredivisie campaign in style with a 5-2 away victory over Sparta Rotterdam.
Elsewhere, Heracles Almelo surprised 10-man Feyenoord at Polman Stadion where the visitors had Jonathan de Guzman, who represented Holland at the Olympics, sent off.
Heerenveen, who finished fifth last year, also began with a victory as they recorded three points away to newly-promoted FC Volendam.
Den Haag earned promotion last season with a play-off victory over VVV Venlo and coach Andre Wetzel looks to be a man of his word after promising an entertaining experience in the Dutch top-flight.
Wetzel's men cruised to a 5-2 victory against
Sparta in Rotterdam, despite having Aleksandar Rankovic dismissed shortly before the hour mark, and they now find themselves third in the early season table.
Joshua John had put Sparta in front in the fourth minute, but Csaba Horvath (16) equalised.
Yuri Cornelisse (19) then fired Den Haag in front from the penalty spot and Richard Knopper added a third 11 minutes before the interval.
However, 13 minutes into the second half Rankovic was handed his marching orders, and Yuri Rose put Sparta back in the contest two minutes later.
Knopper, though, restored a two-goal advantage in the 69th minute with his second of the match and Fabio Caracciolo made sure of the points on the stroke of the final whistle.
Feyenoord suffered a 3-1 away defeat to
Heracles as De Guzman was dismissed after only 30 minutes.
The visitors took the lead in the first minute through Luiz Andre Bahia, but De Guzman then headed for an early bath following a professional foul.
Darl Douglas (37), Ragnar Klavan (59) and substitute Karim Bridji (90) then earned Heracles the points.
Heerenveen ensured
Volendam did not make a winning start to life in the Eredivisie as they came out on top in a five-goal thriller.
Christian Grindheim put Heerenveen in front two minutes before half-time, but in the 65th minute Jack Tuyp equalised.
Tarik Elyounossi (68) restored Heerenveen's lead and Danijel Pranjic (87) added a third as Tuyp could only net a 90th minute second.
NAC recorded three away points with a 2-1 win at
AZ.
Matthew Amoah (24 and 55) hit a brace for NAC as AZ could only respond through Mounir El Hamdaoui.
