Utrecht and Ajax both managed narrow wins at the weekend to keep within striking distance of league leaders PSV, who coasted to a 5-0 victory against struggling Groningen.

Utrecht took the lead at NEC near the end of a first half of few chances, when on-loan winger Yoann Cathline found space in the penalty area to switch the ball to his right foot and steer the ball low into the corner.

NEC equalised with a breakaway goal by Sontje Hansen within minutes of the restart, but Utrecht claimed the points in the 61st minute when Victor Jensen’s header slipped through the hands of Robin Roefs.

Utrecht, who won by a single goal for the ninth time this season, host PSV next Sunday before travelling to Amsterdam next Wednesday for a game that was postponed in September because of a police strike.

Ajax overcame PEC Zwolle in the Johan Cruyff Arena with the help of Brian Brobbey’s first goal of the season and several fine saves by Remko Pasveer.

Josip Sutalo doubled the score with a header after 63 minutes, while PEC had a late goal by Sherel Floranus disallowed for offside as Ajax did just enough to win.

Pepi hat-trick

Ricardo Pepi underlined his claim for a starting place for PSV as he scored a hat-trick against Groningen while deputising for the injured Luuk de Jong.

The 21-year-old American international took his total for the season to nine, making him joint top scorer with Twente’s Sem Steijn, but coach Peter Bosz said his opinion about the pecking order had not changed. “They’re two completely different strikers and it’s great to have that in the team,” he said.

Feyenoord warmed up for their Champions League meeting with Manchester City with a convincing 3-0 win at home against Heerenveen. Igor Paixão had a hand in all three goals in his 100th appearance for the club, nettitng the third himself from Gjivai Zechiël’s sublime backheel.

Sem Steijn returned from a throat infection to help Twente to a 2-1 win at Fortuna Sittard with a goal and an assist for Ricky van Wolfswinkel, either side of Kristoffer Peterson’s penalty for Fortuna.

Racism row in Tilburg

The match between Willem II and NAC ended with accusations of racism after Willem II striker Jeremy Bokila claimed he had been verbally abused by NAC’s New Zealand international midfielder Matthew Garbett after scoring a late equaliser from the penalty spot.

NAC issued a statement saying the dispute had been the result of a misunderstanding and Garbett had contacted the Congolese player, who was subjected to a torrent of abuse on social media after the game.

AZ Alkmaar recorded their first league win since September at Sparta, with former Sparta player Sven Mijnans scored a 73rd-minute winner to inflict a fourth straight defeat on his old club.

Bottom club RKC Waallwijk snatched a point with a 94th-minute equaliser at Heracles to move within a point of Almere, who slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Go Ahead Eagles.

Results

Saturday

Feyenoord 3-0 Heerenveen

Fortuna Sittard 1-2 Twente Enschede

Go Ahead Eagles 3-0 Almere City

Heracles Almelo 2-2 RKC Waalwijk

PSV Eindhoven 5-0 Groningen

Sunday

Ajax 2-0 PEC Zwolle

NEC Nijmegen 1-2 Utrecht

Sparta Rotterdam 1-2 AZ Alkmaar

Willem II Tilburg 2-2 NAC Breda