Eredivisie wrap: Feyenoord take advantage as rivals draw

Feyenoord climbed to third place in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday, as both Ajax and Twente dropped points.

Feyenoord pulled level with second-placed Ajax on 44 points – both clubs are three points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven – thanks to their 3-1 home win over AZ Alkmaar.

Jean-Paul Boetius put the home side ahead after 25 minutes at De Kuip Stadion, but AZ were back on level terms just past the hour mark through Roy Beerens.

AZ suffered a hammer blow on 67 minutes when Nick Viergever was sent off, and Feyenoord midfielder Jordy Clasie restored his team’s lead just five minutes later, with Tonny Vilhena sealing the win in the third minute of stoppage time.

Ajax, meanwhile, were held to a 1-1 draw by Roda JC at Amsterdam ArenA.

Adil Ramzi put Roda a goal up six minutes before half-time, while the home side needed a 54th-minute Daley Blind strike to take a point.

Twente could have moved into outright second place with a win over PEC Zwolle, but they could only manage a 1-1 draw.

Dusan Tadic looked to have done enough for Twente with his 11th-minute goal, but a Denni Avdic penalty 10 minutes from full-time salvaged a point for PEC, who are third from the bottom.

And NEC Nijmegen gave their Europa League hopes a boost with a 3-0 win at Utrecht.

Melvin Platje put NEC up after 15 minutes at Stadion Galgenwaard, with late strikes from Erik Falkenburg and Ruud Boymans making sure of the points.