The gap at the top of the Eredivisie has been cut to two points as PSV were unable to find a way past 10-man Feyenoord.

The Rotterdammers lost Sven van Beek after an hour when the defender hauled down Steven Bergwijn, but still took the lead through Nicolai Jørgensen’s long-range strike after 70 minutes. Hirving Lozano replied almost immediately for PSV, but despite dominating the latter stages the league leaders were kept at bay by goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer.

Ajax cruised past ADO Den Haag to close the gap at the top despite going behind to Abdenasser El Khayati’s magnificent solo effort. Donny van der Beek’s quick reply and Dusan Tadic’s penalty just before half-time put Ajax in front, before late goals from Hakim Zijech and Kasper Dolberg completed a 5-1 win.

PSV manager Mark van Bommel downplayed concerns about his team’s form after a third successive draw. ‘You can look at it in two ways,’ he said. ‘We were four points behind and now it’s two, but you can also say we started [the second half of the season] six weeks ago with the same two-point advantage.’

AZ Alkmaar missed the chance to overtake Feyenoord on goal difference as they suffered their first defeat since Christmas in Tilburg. Under pressure following three straight losses, Willem II went 2-0 up before half-time with goals from Marios Vrousai and Daniel Crowley, and held out against a late onslaught despite Guus Til’s 78th-minute strike.

De Graafschap boost

Heerenveen ended a run of seven matches without a win by coming back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Fortuna Sittard and leapfrog their opponents in the table. De Graafschap revived their hopes with a 3-0 victory at PEC Zwolle to close the gap on 16th-placed Emmen, who lost at home by the same scoreline to Vitesse Arnhem.

NAC Breda are now four points adrift at the bottom after a 0-0 draw at home to Groningen, while Excelsior remain just above the play-off zone after a goalless draw in Utrecht. Heracles Almelo moved above Dick Advocaat’s team as Mohammed Osman’s penalty was enough to see off VVV Venlo.

Results

Friday

VVV Venlo 0-1 Heracles Almelo

Saturday

Fortuna Sittard 2-4 Heerenveen

PEC Zwolle 0-3 De Graafschap

NAC Breda 0-0 Groningen

Utrecht 0-0 Excelsior

Sunday

ADO Den Haag 1-5 Ajax

Emmen 0-3 Vitesse Arnhem

PSV Eindhoven 1-1 Feyenoord

Willem II Tilburg 2-1 AZ Alkmaar