In the Europa League play-offs, there were big wins for NAC and Groningen in the semi-finals, both hitting seven past their opponents over the two legs. NAC went to De Kuip and stuck four past a shellshocked Feyenoord in the first leg. Rob Penders got the first in the first half before three more went in in the second from Martijn Reuser, Kees Kwakman and Joonas Kolkka. With a mountain to climb in the return leg, Penders made it five on aggregate and Donny Gorter's penalty made Feyenoord's task impossible. Roy Makaay and Jon Dahl Tomasson scored penalties of their own either side of Matthew Amoah's third on the night and even the late dismissal of Tom van der Letge could spoil the NAC party.
Markus Berg was Groningen's hero with five goals in the tie. He bagged the first and third of the opening leg with Goran Lovre and Tim Matavz getting the others as his side opened up a 4-0 lead on Utrecht. He went one better in the return, scoring three equalisers as it finished 3-3 on the night. Tim Cornelisse, Leroy George and Morten Skoubo all put Utrecht ahead, but Berg pegged them back each time.
The final is over two legs as well, the first on Thursday in Breda and the return on the following Sunday.
In the relegation play-offs, MVV and Dordrecht emerged from the first round only to be seen off immediately by De Graafschap and Roda respectively in the second. RKC Waalwijk and SC Cambur Leeurwarden also progressed, against Excelsior and Zwolle respectively, to make up the final four to contest those last two Eredivisie places for next season.
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