ADO Den Haag 2-2 PSV Eindhoven: Champions open with dramatic draw as keeper Martin Hansen salvages 95th minute point for ADO

A remarkable last minute backheeled volley by keeper Martin Hansen left champions PSV shellshocked in a
pulsating game at the Kyocera Stadion.

The visitors started with a tempo ADO simply couldn’t live with, and after both Luciano Narsingh and Adam Maher failed to beat Hansen, it was Maher who eventually gave PSV a deserved opener. The lead lasted no more than a minute as ADO were awarded a 24th minute penalty. Captain Roland Alberg stepped up and made no mistake from 12 yards.

PSV regained a stranglehold in the second period, and when striker Luuk de Jong calmly nodded home a Narsingh cross, the points seemed bound for Eindhoven.
However, the champions had not accounted for Martin Hansen, and an amazing backheel volley from the unlikeliest of heroes.

Heerenveen 3-1 De Graafschap: New boys taught harsh lesson in Heerenveen

De Graafschap returned to the Eredivisie at the Abe Lenstra Stadion, but there was to be no shock as Heerenveen ran out comfortable winners. The newly promoted side were given a baptism of fire as first half goals from Simon Thern, and a debut strike from new striker Mitchell te Vrede, all but settled the game for Heerenveen.

With just ten minutes gone in the second half, Thern grabbed his second, and the home side’s third, with a clever looping header. When the impressive young midfielder Dean Koolhof struck a post from long range, De Graafschap finally
shook off the nerves to cause Heerenveen some problems.

The visitors got their reward on 82 minutes, as substitute Vincent Vermeij powerfully headed past debutant keeper Erwin Mulder in the Heerenveen goal.

Groningen 1-1 FC Twente: All square at the Euroborg

Michael de Leeuw cancelled out a Renato Tapia header to rescue a point for Groningen at the Euroborg. KNVB cup winners Groningen were the quickest out of the traps, and the visitors had to rely on keeper Nick Marsman to keep the scores level in the opening 30 minutes.

Twente, who have lost a number of key players in the summer, slowly grew into the game and went into halftime with the lead. Tapia, who would later be stretchered off with a knee injury, headed home a pinpoint corner from new Twente captain Hakim Ziyech.

Groningen pushed hard for an equaliser in the second period and the leveller eventually came when De Leeuw slotted home from a tight angle, after good work from substitute Danny Hoesen. After a difficult season both on and off the field, FC
Twente will be satisfied with a point. Meanwhile, goal shy Groningen face a tough weekend journey to champions PSV.

PEC Zwolle 2-2 Cambuur Leeuwarden: Cambuur fightback to share points with PEC

Cambuur overturned a two goal deficit to take a share of the spoils in an entertaining game in Zwolle. The hosts were put under immediate pressure by Henk de Jong’s men, as both Mikhail Rosheuvel and Xander Houtkoop were denied by PEC keeper Kevin Begois.

However, the game was turned on its head within the space of three minutes when Dirk Marcellis found the roof of the net before Ajax loanee, Sheraldo Becker, doubled the lead on 34 minutes.

Cambuur survived an early second half Queensy Menig strike, bouncing back off the post before being cleared. A scare that was to be the catalyst for an impressive
comeback. With 70 minutes on the clock, Erik Bakker slid home past Begois from close range, before man of the match Sjoer Overgoor finished off a slick onetwo
to take a share off the spoils at the IJsseldelta Stadion.

NEC Nijmegen 1-0 Excelsior: NEC make winning return to Dutch top flight

A superb 89th minute strike from Navarone Foor ensured a winning return to the Eredivisie for NEC. It was a fitting end to a game in which both sides could not
be separated. Debutant NEC keeper, Hannes Thór Halldórsson, was the busier of the two keepers, although Excelsior stopper Filip Kurto was brought into action with a smart stop from the impressive Anthony Limbombe.

The second half mirrored the first and it was left to Foor, who rifled a powerful late shot beyond Kurto, to secure all three points for Ernest Faber’s side.