Alkmaar keep the pressure on

Third place
Alkmaar have 29 points from 14 matches, five behind Ajax and one adrift of PSV, who have both played a game less. Elkhattabi struck after 17 minutes and doubled the lead with eight minutes remaining. Glen Salmon pulled one back for Groningen in the 83rd minute but his side could not muster an equaliser.

Up to eighth
Elsewhere, SC Heerenveen moved up to ninth place after beating ADO Den Haag 2-0. Gerald Sibon opened the scoring on 32 minutes, profiting from some lax defending, before Giorgios Samaras sealed Heerenveen's sixth win of the season with 14 minutes to go.

Two for Esajas
The remaining fixture of the night brought a surprise victory for FC Volendam against seventh-placed FC Twente. Goals from Dion Esajas in the 14th and 74th minutes saw the victors climb to 14th place ahead of their weekend trip to PSV.