Pierre throws title race open

A HAT-TRICK by Pierre van Hooijdonk for Feyenoord in a 3-1 win against leaders PSV Eindhoven blew the Dutch title race wide open, with Ajax keeping up the pressure with a 7-1 thrashing of De Graafschap.

Third place Feyenoord needed a good result to keep themselves in with a chance of the title and it came as no surprise that prolific striker van Hooijdonk came up with the goods when it mattered.

The former Nottingham Forest man opened the scoring from the penalty spot 34 minutes in, and doubled his side's advantage just before the break.

PSV responded through Mateja Kezman, but can Hooijdonk's third gave Feyenoord an enormous victory.

Both Feyenoord and Ajax now go into the final two games knowing that a slip up from PSV could give them the chance.

Ajax picked up a victory that not only put them within three points of PSV, but also put the goal difference back into the realms of attainable.

Starting the day six points behind PSV and with a goal difference 13 poorer, Ajax needed a Feyenoord win and a mammoth victory.

And they duly provided, with Rafael van der Vaart scoring a first half brace, to cancel out a shock opener from Hans van der Haar.

The floodgates opened after the break - with Wesley Sneijder, Tomas Galasek, Steven Pienaar, Maxwell and Nourdin Boukhari all getting on the scoresheet.

The upshot is that PSV now hold a three point advantage with two games left, and a goal difference just five better than their Amsterdam rivals.

Feyenoord are a point behind Ajax, but their goal difference remains 17 away from the leaders.

Elsewhere NAC Breda survived a comeback from RKC Waalwijk to pick up a 3-2 win that allows them to leapfrog their opponents.

NAC were leading 2-0 courtesy of Orlando Engelaar and Ali Boussabon only to find themselves pegged back by two penalties in three minutes - both converted by Rick Hoogendorp.

However, four minutes from time Anouar Diba gave NAC the victory.

Finally, Groningen snatched a crucial victory against AZ Alkmaar that lifts them further away from the relegation spots.

The game was tied at 0-0 going into the final five minutes, when Glen Salmon grabbed the crucial goal.

Eredivisie:
Ajax v De Graafschap
Groningen v AZ Alkmaar
Feyenoord v PSV Eindhoven
RKC Waalwijk v NAC Breda

Click here for an updated Dutch Eredivisie table.