Ajax were defeated, FC Utrecht and Sparta played out a six-goal thriller, and FC Twente closed on the top two.
Ajax lose, as FC Twente triumph
Ajax were defeated by FC Groningen, FC Utrecht and Sparta Rotterdam played out a six-goal thriller, and FC Twente closed in on the top two.
Marco van Basten's
Ajax were defeated 1-0 by
FC Groningen, with Danny Aolla on target before Jan Vertonghen was dismissed in the latter stages.
FC Utrecht's encounter with
Sparta Rotterdam ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, with five of the game's goals coming in the first half.
Kevin Strootman put Sparta ahead on seven minutes, but the home side turned the game on its head through Michael Silberbauer and Cedric van der Gun.
Sparta restored parity via Joey Godee and then Loic Loval made it 3-2 before Rydell Poepon ensured both teams had to settle for a point.
Steve McClaren's
FC Twente now sit just a point behind Ajax after they claimed a 2-1 success at
Heracles Almelo.
Kenneth Perez and Marko Arnautovic put FC Twente ahead, and Heracles could only manage a late consolation through Ricky van den Bergh.
Bottom-of-the-table
FC Volendam suffered a third straight loss as Danny Buys struck the only goal of the game for
ADO Den Haag.
Elsewhere, struggling
Vitesse Arnhem secured a valuable point against
NEC Nijmegen as the fixture at the Gelredome ended 0-0.
