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PSV enjoyed another fine weekend. Ronald Koeman’s team beat FC Groningen 1-0 on Saturday night, while closest rivals Ajax and AZ drew 1-1 in Alkmaar on Sunday afternoon. PSV have extended their lead over Ajax to seven points and hold an eight-point cushion over AZ.
Second-placed Ajax and third-placed AZ fought out a keenly contested game. On the stroke of half time referee Wegereef controversially dismissed Edgar Davids for a second bookable offence. The midfielder fully deserved to be booked for a clumsy foul, but the referee had made a dubious decision when he showed Davids a first yellow card minutes before. In spite of AZ’s numerical advantage, Ajax opened the scoring after 65 minutes. Leonardo squared the ball to former AZ forward Kenneth Perez, who squeezed in a low shot that beat AZ goalkeeper Boy Waterman. With ten minutes remaining, AZ were back on level terms and again the referee played a major role. Demy de Zeeuw launched a flying tackle into goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, who let go of the ball. Maarten Martens was on hand to tap the ball home, with the goalkeeper lying defenselessly on the ground. Wegereef should have given Ajax a free kick. The game could have gone either way in the final ten minutes of official time and in the four minutes’ added time, but no more goals were scored.
With eight games to play, PSV have extended their lead on the top of the Eredivisie table to seven points over runners-up Ajax and eight points over third-placed AZ. PSV will play host to RKC Waalwijk at the Philips Stadium next Saturday while Ajax entertain sc Heerenveen and AZ make a trip to FC Utrecht. But PSV will first be in action on Wednesday night, when they take on NAC Breda in a Dutch Cup quarter final tie.
