Eredivisie wrap: Second-half blitz sets up Vitesse win

Vitesse Arnhem continued their impressive start to the Eredivisie season with a 3-0 victory away to Groningen.

Substitute Mike Havenaar got Vitesse going with a goal in the 62nd minute as the visitors recorded their fourth win from five games, their best start to a season in the top division of Dutch football.

Vitesse’s win was even more impressive given they lost midfielder Jan-Arie Van der Heijden to a red card in the 30th minute.

Havenaar put Vitesse in front with less than 30 minutes to play with a strong header before two late goals wrapped up the win.

Tomas Kalas scored in the 87th minute and four minutes later Wilfried Bony added a third for the visitors.

Vitesse have 13 points after five rounds and are just two behind Eredivisie leaders Twente Enschede.

Utrecht and AZ Alkmaar also moved up the table after notching wins on Sunday.

American striker Jozy Altidore hit a hat-trick for AZ as they thumped Roda JC 4-0.

Erik Falkenburg scored the other goal for the home side in the 29th minute, which ensured a 3-0 lead at half-time.

In Utrecht, the home side finished the match with nine players after both Anouar Kali and Alexander Gerndt were sent off in the second half but held on for a 1-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven.

Kali received his second yellow card of the game just three minutes before defender Davy Bulthuis headed Tommy Oar’s free-kick into the net in the 72nd minute.

Utrecht lost Gerndt to a straight red card in the 80th minute but held on for the win to move into seventh on the Eredivisie table, just one position ahead of AZ.

Elsewhere, Heracles stunned NAC Breda 2-1 thanks to an injury time winner from Everton Ramos da Silva.

Breda had led from the 14th minute when Alex Schalk scored, until Willy Overtoom’s 81st-minute goal brought Heracles level.

The home side snatched victory when Everton finished from close range in the third minute of injury time.