Til hat-trick for PSV sinks AZ as Ajax lose again at Utrecht

Guus Til bagged a hat-trick as PSV swept title pretenders AZ away in Alkmaar to stretch the gap between the top two and the rest of the Eredivisie.

Seeking their first win at home against the champions since 2021, AZ found themselves two goals down inside 10 minutes and never recovered, despite pulling one back before half-time.

PSV's opener was the result of a blunder by AZ goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro , whose underhit pass was easily intercepted by Mauro Junior and returned with interest by the Brazilian.

Till added a second after 10 minutes as he smashed in a cross by Ismael Saibari, but only after the VAR review confirmed he had just stayed onside.

Til's second was a ball-juggling run and calm finish after 28 minutes, and although Sven Mijnans replied for AZ with a shot that Matej Kovar was unable to deflect, a fine strike by Joey Veerman and a third from Til ensured PSV opened up a seven-point gap on their opponents..

Ajax were given no respite following the sacking of John Heitinga in midweek as they went down 2-1 in Utrecht .

Ajax were celebrating after 43 minutes when Wout Weghorst squeezed the ball in from a tight angle, only for referee Danny Makkelie to rule after studying video replays that Lucas Rosa had committed a foul in the build-up.

Utrecht rubbed salt into the wound by going straight up the other end and winning a corner from which Belgian defender Matisse Didden flashed a header into the net for the opening goal.

And early in the second half former Ajax striker Sébastien Haller scored with another header for his first goal since April 25. Mika Godts hit back with a straying shot minutes later, but Ajax were unable to find an equalizer.

Utrecht climbed to fifth place, a point behind Ajax and level with Groningen, who went down 2-0 in Nijmegen with a low diagonal shot by Kodai Sano and a tap-in from his Japanese team-mate Kento Shiogai after Bryan Linssen had robbed Groningen's Thijmen Blokzijl.

Heracles followed up their 8-2 trouncing of PEC with their first away win of the season at Excelsior . But they had to do it the hard way, with Walid Ould-Chikh and Luka Kulenovic scoring in the last half-hour after Noah Naujoks had given the Rotterdammers an early lead.

Heracles are still bottom, but only on goal difference after Telstar picked up a point in the first goalless draw of the entire league season at Twente. Both teams finished with 10 men following red cards for Kristian Hlynsson of Twente and Telstar's Mohamed Hamdaoui.

A tap-in by Henk Veerman and a glancing finish by Robert Mühren ensured Voldendam won a vibrant encounter against NAC , who went ahead in the first half through an own goal by Nick Verschuren.

The match turned on a sending-off for NAC's Lewis Holtby for a heavy challenge shortly before Veerman scored. NAC coach Carl Hoefkens and defender Fredrik Oldrup Jensen were also shown red cards.

Fortuna Sittard inflicted Heerenveen's first defeat in seven league matches as Paul Gladon tapped in a rebound from Mo Ihattaren's shot, before Ihattaren chipped in with a Panenka penalty after Kaj Sierhuis was felled on the corner of the box.

PEC Zwolle recovered from their heavy defeat by Heracles by beating Sparta , Kaj de Rooj scoring the only goal in the first half with an exquisite strike with the outside of his right boot.

Results

Friday

Twente Enschede 0-0 Telstar

Saturday

Excelsior 1-2 Heracles Almelo

Fortuna Sittard 2-0 Heerenveen

PEC Zwolle 1-0 Sparta Rotterdam

Volendam 2-1 NAC Breda

Sunday

AZ Alkmaar 1-5 PSV Eindhoven

Feyenoord LL Go Ahead Eagles

NEC Nijmegen 2-0 Groningen

Utrecht 2-1 Ajax