Eredivisie top scorer Ayase Ueda bagged four goals as Feyenoord brushed aside PEC Zwolle to put their recent dip in form behind them and stay within touch of leaders PSV.
The Japanese striker headed in Gonçalo Borges’ cross for the opening goal after 11 minutes and ran on to Quinten Timber’s through ball to fire in a second nine minutes later.
Timber added a penalty as Feyenoord continued to dominate, before. Ueda completed his hat-trick with a magnificent header from Gijs Smal’s deep cross.
The Japanese’s fourth was another header, this time from a corner in the 55th minute, making him the first player to score four goals in an Eredivisie match since Georginio Wijnaldum in 2011 and taking his total for the season to 18 from 15 games.
PSV enjoyed a more workmanlike victory at Heerenveen, with Joey Veerman and Ricardo Pepi scoring in a five-minute spell in the first half. It was the Eindhoven club’s 13th consecutive away win, equalling their own record from 10 seasons ago.
NEC late drama
NEC managed a last-gasp winner at Volendam to stay third, seven points behind Feyenoord. Volendam took the lead late in the first half when Brandley Kuwas converted a penalty after Darko Nejasmic handled in the box.
NEC replied straight after the break as Nejasmic made amends with an angled drive from the edge of the penalty area and went ahead when Basar Önal cut in from the left and beat Kayne van Oevelen with a shot that took a nick off a defender.
Volendam equalised when Mawouna Amevour headed in from a free-kick in the 89th minute, but deep into injury time Kento Shiogai ran clear from Kodai Sano’s pass to score the winner.
Ajax moved up to fourth place with their second win since Fred Grim took over as interim coach, beating Fortuna Sittard 3-1 in a match that both teams finished with 10 men.
Ajax went behind in the fourth minute when Kaj Sierhuis headed in Mo Ihattaren’s chipped pass, but two own goals either side of the interval turned the match Ajax’s favour before Owen Wijndal found the net with a long-range strike.
Justin Hubner was dismissed for a lunging tackle on Rayane Bounida, but Ajax also saw red when Youri Baas was booked for the second time, meaning he will miss next week’s Klassieker against Feyenoord.
Meulensteen double
Ajax moved above AZ, who let a 2-1 lead slip against Go Ahead Eagles when Melle Meulensteen scored with a low shot 10 minutes from time.
Melle Meulensteen had given the Eagles the lead in the 10th minute before a glancing header by Troy Parrott and an own goal from Go Ahead captain Mats Deijl put AZ ahead by half-time.
Groningen moved up to sixth as Thom van Bergen’s third goal in as many matches and a Stije Resink penalty in the last minute were enough to take the points at Excelsior.
Telstar were denied a precious three points in their basement battle with Heracles when Ivan Mesik scored a stoppage-time equaliser for the home side, after Milan Zonneveld had given the bottom side the lead with a header in the 67th minute.
Victor Jensen scored his first goal for Utrecht since returning from a hamstring injury that he suffered in August, but it was only enough for a point against FC Twente as Daan Rots smashed in a late equaliser.
Shunsuke Mito rounded off a flowing move to score the only goal in Sparta’s home win against NAC Breda that lifts the Rotterdam club to 11th place, while goalkeeper Joel Drömmel made several outstanding saves in the second half.
Results
Friday
Excelsior 0-2 Groningen
Saturday
Feyenoord 6-1 PEC Zwolle
Fortuna Sittard 1-3 Ajax
Heerenveen 0-2 PSV Eindhoven
Heracles Almelo 1-1 Telstar
Sunday
AZ Alkmaar 2-2 Go Ahead Eagles
Sparta Rotterdam 1-0 NAC Breda
Utrecht 1-1 Twente Enschede
Volendam 2-3 NEC Nijmegen
