Ajax defeat Den Haag to close in on Alkmaar
Reuters - Sunday 18 March 2012, 18:12
Second-half goals from Jody
Lukoki and Jan Vertonghen earned Ajax Amsterdam a 2-0 win at
10-men ADO Den Haag on Sunday as they closed in on Dutch league
leaders AZ Alkmaar who drew against NAC Breda.
Alkmaar have 53 points from 26 matches, one ahead of Ajax.
Den Haag were reduced to 10 men after 25 minutes when Ali
Boussaboun was sent off and Ajax substitute Jody Lukoki broke
the deadlock just after the break following a superb cross from
Theo Janssen.
On the hour, skipper Jan Vertonghen broke through on the
left flank and finished with style to seal a sixth straight win
for the champions.
PSV Eindhoven climbed to third in the table with 51 points
following a 5-1 thrashing of Heerenveen ahead of Twente Enschede
who lost 2-0 at home to Feyenoord.
Ola Toivonen put PSV ahead after five minutes only for
Heerenveen to equalise early in the second half through an own
goal from Erik Pieters.
However, Dries Mertens struck twice, with a curved drive and
superb lob, to seal PSV's first win under coach Philip Cocu.
Orlando Engelaar and Memphis Depay also were on target.
Feyenoord dominated against Twente and grabbed the lead four
minutes after the interval when Nils Roseler headed the ball
into his own goal. Sekou Cisse scored the second just before the
final whistle.