AZ Alkmaar missed the opportunity to close the gap to league leaders Feyenoord on Sunday evening, losing 2-0 at home to FC Twente. AZ could have climbed to second with the win, but they were overtaken after late goals from Sondre Ørjaesaeter and Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Twente had been the better side for most of the game when they broke the deadlock in the 84th minute. Younes Taha broke forward down the right and delivered the ball for Sondre Ørjasæter, who finished to put the visitors ahead.
It got more difficult for John van den Brom, who was facing his former assistant when he was manager of AZ in Lee-Roy Echtold, when Daouda Weidmann received his second yellow card and was sent off by referee Alex Bos.
But substitute Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink scored in stoppage time to make it 2-0. It was his first goal in the Eredivisie. He had entered the match alongside Michal Rosiak in a double substitution around the 73rd minute, with Weghorst and Bart van Rooij making way.
Willem II’s season went from bad to worse on Saturday. The Tilburg club, who are currently managed by interim coach Adrie Koster, were hammered 6-1 at home by SC Cambuur.
Nicolas Binder (2), Ilyes Hamach, Ismael Baouf, Rafik El Arguioui and Jason Çeka got the goals for Cambuur, with Anass Zarrouk scoring the solitary goal for the hapless hosts. Willem II are bottom of the table with two points. Recent reports have linked former manager Jurgen Streppel with a return to the hot seat.
SC Heerenveen made it two wins in a row, beating ADO Den Haag in a thriller in The Hague. ADO, looking to build on a surprise win over reigning champions PSV last weekend, went behind in the 23th minute when Jakob Trenskow breaking the deadlock.
Ringo Meerveld made it 2-0 shortly after halftime before ADO substitute Nigel Thomas pulled one back. Trenskow got another to make it 3-1 before Thomas also got his second goal to reduce the deficit to one.
It was also an entertaining game in Deventer. Go Ahead Eagles were able to hang on to their lead, beating Telstar 3-2 at home thanks to a Søren Tengstedt hat-trick.
