Eredivisie wrap: Ajax cruise, look to Sunday

Ajax gained some ground on the Eredivisie leaders on Saturday, posting a 4-1 win over 10-man Excelsior at Amsterdam ArenA.

A first-half brace from Jan Vertonghen put Ajax in control approaching half-time, and the dismissal of Excelsior defender Samuel Scheimann for a poorly timed lunge meant the visitors were always going to be up against it.

Although a goal late in the half from Darren Maatsen made sure Excelsior headed for the break with a spring in their step, that was where the joy ended for John Lammers’ men.

A penalty from Miralem Sulejmani restored Ajax’s two-goal buffer and a stunning free-kick from Nicolas Lodeiro put the win beyond doubt in the 67th minute.

The result sees Ajax pull level with third-placed Twente in the Eredivisie standings, but they are still seven points adrift of leaders AZ Alkmaar and four behind second-placed PSV Eindhoven, with the top three all in action on Sunday.

Ajax have played two games more than AZ while PSV and Twente each have a game in hand over the Amsterdam powerhouse.

Elsewhere on Saturday, ADO Den Haag had goals from Charlton Vicento, Jens Toornstra and Marc Hoecher to thank for their 3-0 home win over NAC Breda.

Roda JC enjoyed a 2-1 win away from home against De Graafschap, while a 93rd-minute equaliser from Melvin Platje rescued a 3-3 draw for NEC in a see-sawing affair at Groningen.

The home side took the lead just before the half-hour mark through David Texeira, only for Abdisalem Ibrahim to level proceedings just two minutes later.

Texeira was on target again 11 minutes after the break to put Groningen ahead once more, but there were plenty more twists to come in the final 10 minutes.

Platje scored in the 83rd minute to make it 2-2, though when Texeira wrapped up his hat-trick two minutes later it looked as though the home side had done enough.

But Platje’s second goal, in the dying stages of injury time, salvaged a point for the visitors in dramatic fashion.