PSV claimed their first win in the Eredivisie since Christmas to open up a four-point lead on a weekend when their closest rivals, Ajax, were inactive because of European commitments in midweek.

NAC Breda gave the leaders a stern test in the first half. Sydney van Hooijdonk’s flashing volley in the opening minutes was disallowed after Leo Sauer was adjudged to have fouled Olivier Boscagli in the build-up.

Sauer put the visitors ahead in the 26th minute from a rebound, but a double strike by Guus Til meant PSV went into the half-time break in front.

Ricardo Pepi, on as a substitute for Luuk de Jong, settled the contest in second-half injury time, but there was still time for Kacper Kostorz to give NAC the last word with a header.

Struggling Heracles were on the brink of inflicting a surprise defeat on third-placed Utrecht after Thomas Bruns gave them the lead with a glancing header in the first half.

But the third-placed side salvaged a point when free-kick specialist Souffian El Karouani found the top corner from just outside the penalty area as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.

Drama in Alkmaar

There was more late drama in Alkmaar as Sparta handed AZ their first defeat in 13 matches in all competitions, a run stretching back to November 10.

Mexx Meerdinck looked to have saved a draw when he drilled in a shot from a corner in the third minute of injury time, after Shunsuke Mito had put Sparta ahead in the 72nd minute from a tight angle.

But Arno Verschueren fired in a shot off the underside of the bar in the dying seconds to secure Sparta’s first win since coach Maurice Steijn returned to the club in November.

Sparta’s win means RKC remain six points adrift in the automatic relegation places despite a 2-0 win in the Efteling derby against Willem II.

Tommy St. Jago headed into his own net as the Tilburgers failed to deal with a series of teasing corners by Mo Ihattaren, before Tim van Loo added a second for RKC at the start of the second half.

PEC march on

PEC Zwolle continued the good form that saw them pull off a shock win at PSV as they scored four goals on a quagmire of a pitch in Sittard.

Dylan Vente and Davy van den Berg finished off crisp passing moves to give PEC a two-goal lead at half-time. Josip Mitrovic, one of three new signings in the Fortuna side, pulled one back shortly after the break, but five minutes later a jinking run by Filip Krastev resulted in a penalty for PEC which Vente converted.

Krastev, the architect of the win against PSV, chipped in with a late fourth to hand Fortuna their third three-goal defeat in succession.

A deflected shot by Luciano Valente was enough to earn Groningen all three points against Heerenveen in a scrappy northern derby to break a run of four defeats in the fixture.

Results

Friday

Heracles Almelo 1-1 Utrecht

Saturday

Groningen 1-0 Heerenveen

PSV Eindhoven 3-2 NAC Breda

Sunday

AZ Alkmaar 1-2 Sparta Rotterdam

Fortuna Sittard 1-4 PEC Zwolle

RKC Waalwijk 2-0 Willem II Tiiburg

Postponed

Feyenoord v Almere City (February 22)

Twente Enschede v NEC Nijmegen (February 23)

Ajax v Go Ahead Eagles (February 23)