NEC 2-1 Vitesse
Utrecht 0-0 Twente
NAC 1-1 Ajax
Roda 0-1 PSV
Groningen 2-0 Heerenveen
A change at the top in the Eredivisie after round 18 was eventually completed after the abandonment of the last Sunday of last year. Twente dropped points! In fact, they were lacklustre in the extreme at Utrecht last Sunday, though Utrecht's objective was clear as they packed the midfield and dropped Ricky van Wolfswinkel to go with one up top, Kevin Vandenbergh. Van Wolfswinkel eventually came on late on and nearly won it after Wout Brama had been sent off for a professional foul, but Sander Boschker rescued a point for the Tukkers with a fine save. That left the door ajar for PSV, but they weren't much better against Roda on Tuesday. Andreas Isaaksson had a stunner of an evening between the pipes for the Eindhoveners as Roda had by far the better chances throughout. Indeed, it was an error by Roda stopper Bram Castro that allowed Danny Koevermans to grab the only goal of the game, spilling Stanislav Manolev's speculative effort at the burly striker's feet for the goal which sends PSV top of the pile on goal difference.
Ajax couldn't make ground either as they were held in Breda by a resilient NAC. Ellery Cairo put the home side in front with the third of a string of good chances, and Maarten Stekelenburg pulled off a fine save to stop the striker making it two. But they couldn't add to their lead and Rasmus Lindgren headed in from a corner shortly before the break to level. Luis Suarez and Demy de Zeeuw went close for Ajax, but they wouldn't have deserved the win had either effort found the net. NEC came from behind for a much-needed and morale-boosting win. A Lasse Nilsson penalty put Vitesse ahead inside five minutes, but Saidi Ntibazonkia squared it up before the break and Ramon Zomer won it early in the second. Groningen, too, needed points and got it last night at home to Heerenveen. They were pretty comfortable and Tim Matavz and Andreas Granqvist secured the points.
Back to the hurly burly of the league season now and how will the Tukkers react to being knocked off their perch after the 12-game winning run came to an end? They go to a re-energised Groningen - simple on paper, but perhaps not so on grass. PSV, meanwhile, are at home to NEC while game of the week is in Amsterdam where Ajax take on AZ. Dick Advocaat will have welcomed the break to get to grips with his squad and perhaps take stock of what he actually has at his disposal.
PSV v NEC
Heracles v Vitesse
Heerenveen v Willem II
Roda v Utrecht
Waalwijk v NAC
Ajax v AZ
Groningen v Twente
Sparta v Den Haag
VVV Venlo v Feyenoord
We'll wrap those games up next week.
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