Netherlands round-up: Championship in the balance

The Eredivisie title race was thrown wide open after third-placed Feyenoord claimed a 3-1 win against leaders PSV Eindhoven, while AFC Ajax were beating bottom side De Graafschap 7-1.

Three-point gap
PSV could have clinched the league this weekend, but instead saw their lead over Ajax cut to three points with two matches to go. Feyenoord, a further point behind Ajax, took the lead on 34 minutes after Andre Ooijer fouled Bonaventure Kalou in the area and Pierre van Hooijdonk converted the penalty. Van Hooijdonk then scored a crucial second in first-half added time after being set up by Kalou.

Winning streak extended
Feyenoord went into the game on a run of 12 consecutive victories, but were pegged back eight minutes after the break by Mateja Kezman's 34th goal of the season. But they stretched that winning run to 13, and their unbeaten sequence to 17, when Van Hooijdonk completed his hat-trick with another penalty, Anthony Lurling having been brought down by Remco van der Schaaf.

Ajax score seven
It seemed a shock was on the cards when Hans van der Haar put De Graafschap a goal up in the third minute in the Amsterdam ArenA. However, Rafael van Vaart equalised on 15 minutes and then put Ajax ahead in first-half stoppage time. A one-sided second half then followed as Ajax boosted their goal difference through Wesley Sneijder, Tomas Galasek, Steven Pienaar, Maxwell and Nordin Boukhari. Nonetheless, PSV's goal difference remains better than Ajax's by five.

UEFA Cup race
Roda JC claimed fourth place but had to come from behind to draw 4-4 with FC Utrecht. Dutch Cup finalists Utrecht were 2-0 up after eight minutes, and despite Cristiano pulling one back, Igor Gluscevic scored his second to make it 3-1 at the break. However, Yannis Anastasiou and an own goal by Patrick Zwaanswijk levelled the match, and although Abdelhali Chaiat put Utrecht back ahead nine minutes from time, Anastasiou scored again four minutes later to ensure a draw.

Waalwijk slip
NEC Nijmegen moved into the other UEFA Cup berth, level with Roda on 47 points, as they beat RBC Roosendaal 2-0. NAC Breda are a point behind after overcoming previous fourth-placed side RKC Waalwijk 3-2, while SC Heerenveen remain in touch after a 1-0 win at struggling FC Zwolle.

Groningen move clear
FC Groningen and moved three points clear of Zwolle in the relegation play-off zone with a 1-0 victory against AZ Alkmaar, but Excelsior were confirmed in the bottom three - and are only two points ahead of De Graafschap in the automatic relegation place after a last-minute James Quinn goal gave Willem II a 2-1 win. SBV Vitesse remain a point above Zwolle following a 1-0 loss to FC Twente.