Ajax beats VVV-Venlo to go 2nd in Eredivisie
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Defending league champion Ajax beat VVV-Venlo 3-0 Sunday to move second in the Dutch Eredivisie after 10-man FC Twente lost 4-2 at home to FC Utrecht.
PSV Eindhoven strengthened its position at the top of the Eredivisie by thrashing ADO The Hague 7-0 on Saturday night, bringing the Dick Advocaat-coached team's goal tally to 73 in 21 matches.
Captain Siem de Jong gave Ajax the lead in the 34th minute, latching onto a Christian Eriksen pass and firing past Niki Maenpaa. Viktor Fischer made it 2-0 in the 61st and substitute Derk Boerrigter completed the scoring nine minutes from time.
"I saw a very good Ajax," Ajax coach Frank de Boer said. "After the 1-0, we were never in trouble. On this pitch, which isn't the best in the country, we showed great positional play."
In Enschede, debutant Jens Toornstra gave Utrecht the lead in the 32nd and Jacob Mulenga made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Twente defender Rasmus Bengtsson fouled Cedric van der Gun just before half time. Bengtsson was sent off, leaving Twente playing with 10 men for the entire second half.
Despite being a man down, Dusan Tadic pulled back a goal for Twente in the 56th, only for Dave Bulthuis to make it 3-1 10 minutes later. Tadic scored his second to make it 3-2 in the 73rd, but Mike van der Hoorn re-established Utrecht's two-goal cushion just a minute later.
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