PSV 3-0 NEC
Heracles 1-2 Vitesse
Heerenveen 4-2 Willem II
Roda 2-0 Utrecht
Waalwijk 0-1 NAC
Ajax 1-0 AZ
Groningen 0-0 Twente
Sparta 0-0 Den Haag
VVV Venlo 1-1 Feyenoord
What on earth has happened to Twente? Cruising serenely onwards in the lead up to the winter break, since the league resumed they've played out two really poor goalless draws. Yes, they remain unbeaten, but with PSV in similar form they hadn't built any sort of lead. Knocked off the top on goal difference last week, this latest stalemate saw the Eindhoven giants open up a gap. Yes, it's only two points, but with barely a chance worthy of the name created in two games, it's a worrying time. For their part, PSV were comfortable winners over NEC on Friday night. With Jonathan Reis sacked by the club after testing positive for recreational drugs, Ola Toivonen came back into the starting line-up and immediately made an impact with goals in each half, heading home halfway through the first half and lashing home from just inside the box quarter of an hour into the second. Nordin Amrabat came off the bench to stab a late third in as PSV take control of the league.
Ajax emerged with a win in a wide open game against AZ. Chances were created in huge number at either end, but Kenneth Vermeer - in for late withdrawal Maarten Stekelenburg - and Sergio Romero were both in terrific form. Gregory van der Wiel eventually broke the deadlock after exchanging passes with Luis Suarez. Dick Advocaat was sent to the stands as his side picked up seven bookings, but his complaints looked a little silly as his charges kicked lumps out of the Amsterdammers. Indeed, Stijn Schaars was lucky to stay on the field after a studs-up challenge on Ismail Aissati. Feyenoord were held in Venlo despite one of their former players, Patrick Paauwe, turning Jon Dahl Tomasson's cross past his own keeper. Ferry de Regt rescued a point late on with a neat header.
Heracles' European push took a hit as Onur Kaya scored twice for Vitesse. Sebastian Steur got one back, too little too late. Utrecht were also beaten, 2-0 in Kerkrade. Willem Janssen got the first five minutes before the break and Jan-Paul Saeijs the second five minutes after it as Roda ran out comfortable winners. Heerenveen are on the march and won well at home to Willem II who finished with ten men. Paulo Henriques scored twice for the Friesians, the second coming after Marlon Pereira was sent off. The Tilburgers had taken a lead with eighteen minutes remaining, but they collapsed in spectacular fashion, Pereira's dismissal for a professional foul capping a miserable finish to the game. NAC kept up their hopes of European football with a 1-0 win over hapless Waalwijk who pick up where they left off. Leonardo got the goal and was later sent off on an eventful afternoon for the Brazilian. Finally, Sparta and Den Haag ground out a lifeless 0-0 draw in Rotterdam.
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