Eredivisie Matchday 17 served up a dramatic weekend of Dutch football, with title contenders dropping precious points and relegation-threatened sides seizing crucial victories.
PSV Marches On at the Top
The champions showed their resilience with a 2-1 victory away at FC Utrecht on Sunday. Despite facing a tough challenge at Stadion Galgenwaard, PSV secured all three points to extend their remarkable lead at the summit. With 46 points from 17 games, including 15 wins and just one defeat, PSV have opened up an 11-point gap over Feyenoord in second place.
Ajax Frustrated at NEC
Ajax had a golden opportunity to close the gap on the top two but could only manage a 2-2 draw at NEC Nijmegen on Saturday. The Amsterdam giants found themselves in a battle against a resilient NEC side who have been one of the surprises of the season. The result leaves Ajax in third place with 30 points, trailing leaders PSV by 16 points.
Feyenoord Held at Home
Feyenoord's title hopes suffered another blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw at De Kuip by FC Twente. The Rotterdam side, who sit second with 35 points, have now won just once in their last four Eredivisie matches. Twente's dogged resistance earned them a valuable point in their quest for European qualification.
Seven-Goal Thriller in Sittard
The match of the weekend came in Limburg, where Fortuna Sittard produced a stunning 4-3 victory over AZ Alkmaar. In a back-and-forth encounter, Fortuna emerged victorious despite AZ's dangerous attack. The result provides a crucial boost for Fortuna in their battle to stay in the top half of the table.
Heerenveen Cruise at Heracles
SC Heerenveen delivered an emphatic performance with a 3-0 away victory at Heracles Almelo. The Friesian club dominated proceedings in Almelo, inflicting more misery on a Heracles side that continues to struggle near the bottom of the table.
Relegation Battle Intensifies
In the lower reaches of the table, Telstar 1963 claimed a vital 1-0 win away at NAC Breda, dealing a blow to NAC's survival hopes. Meanwhile, Sparta Rotterdam edged Volendam 1-0 to move further away from the danger zone.
All Matchday 17 Results
- Heracles Almelo 0-3 SC Heerenveen
- SBV Excelsior 2-1 PEC Zwolle
- NEC 2-2 Ajax
- NAC Breda 0-1 Telstar 1963
- FC Utrecht 1-2 PSV
- Feyenoord 1-1 FC Twente
- Go Ahead Eagles 1-1 FC Groningen
- FC Volendam 0-1 Sparta Rotterdam
- Fortuna Sittard 4-3 AZ
As the winter break approaches, PSV's commanding position at the top looks increasingly unassailable, while the battle for Champions League spots and survival at the bottom promises to deliver plenty more drama in the second half of the season.
