Crazy. Just another weekend in the Eredivisie. We have a huge PSV-Ajax match which ended in controversy. We have yet another match abandonment due to crowd trouble. And we have a goalkeeper that scores twice in a match.
Yes, this is the Eredivisie – Week Five writes Will Burns.
I have attached highlights from the clubs’ official YouTube channel where available so you can watch while you read along.
Isaac Babadi came close to producing a dream debut for Sparta, as the PSV loanee scored with his very first touches, seemingly setting the Kasteelheren on course for a 2–1 home win over PEC Zwolle. But ten minutes before full-time, Koen Kostons struck the equaliser, denying the hosts all three points.
Sparta began with new centre midfielder Cedric Hatenboer in the starting XI, giving the arrival from Anderlecht an immediate chance to prove himself, with new goalkeeper Michael Brouwer also featuring from the start. For Zwolle, Ibrahima Cissoko was preferred on the left-wing, while Sydney van Hooijdonk began on the bench.
PEC opened the scoring just past the twenty‑minute mark with a razor‑sharp counter-attack. Dylan Mbayo released Cissoko, who finished confidently. Their advantage didn’t last long though as Milan Zonneveld rose highest from a Julian Baas corner and headed in his third goal of the season to tie the game up.
At half-time, Sparta coach Rogier Meijer made adjustments, withdrawing Casper Terho and introducing Babadi, and the PSV man had an instant impact. After receiving a pass from Zonneveld, he controlled the ball neatly and stayed composed in his one‑on‑one with Jasper Schendelaar, putting Sparta 2–1 ahead with his first involvement.
PEC responded by pushing for an equaliser, with Van Hooijdonk making his debut as part of the attacking changes. Their persistence paid off when Kostons found the net ten minutes from time, securing a 2–2 draw and ensuring both sides took a point from the encounter at Het Kasteel.
Feyenoord responded well to last weekend’s frustrating draw against ADO, earning a 3–1 victory over NEC in Nijmegen on Saturday afternoon. All four goals came after the break, following a flat and uneventful first half. Despite their mixed performances, Feyenoord now sit third in the table with 11 points from five matches. Remarkably, nine of those points have come away from home, as the Rotterdammers are still waiting for their first win at De Kuip this season.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst had to do without Anis Hadj Moussa, who was left out of the squad for disciplinary reasons after arriving late twice, including to a team meeting. Reports have linked the Algerian winger with interest from Al‑Ittihad, but Van Bronckhorst has made clear that Feyenoord are not planning to sell him at this stage.
Nacho Ferri started up front following Ayase Ueda’s transfer to Lille and the visitors controlled the first half but created only one real chance, when Mika Mármol fired into the side netting after 15 minutes. The match came to life after the interval. Almugera Kabar misjudged a ball in his own half, allowing Gijvai Zechiël to score at the far post from Ferri’s assist, his fourth of the campaign.
NEC hit back almost immediately through Darko Nejasmic, who produced a superb left‑footed strike from outside the box to level the score. Feyenoord regained the lead just after the hour mark when Zechiël exploited the huge gaps in NEC’s defence and set up Luciano Valente for 2–1. Late on, debutant Jerayno Schaken sealed the win, with Zechiël again with the assist, making it 3–1 and securing Feyenoord’s third away victory of the season.
Ajax will be without Aaron Bouwman for the entire month of September, the club confirmed the day after their 3-1 defeat to PSV. The nineteen‑year‑old defender suffered bruising to his sternum and a bruised lung, from the clattering he received from Ruben van Bommel and remains in hospital for observation. The incident has sparked widespread anger among Ajax supporters.
Van Bommel’s surge into the defender became one of the major talking points after the match. Head of refereeing Raymond van Meenen stated that the PSV winger should have been shown a red card rather than the yellow he received. The injury overshadowed what had been a high‑profile Eredivisie clash.
Ajax entered the match in good spirits after a successful transfer window, although several new signings were not yet ready to start. Jorthy Mokio began in midfield, while PSV welcomed Lutsharel Geertruida into the starting line-up for the first time this season and they struck early. Armando Obispo’s precise pass allowed Ivan Perišić to deliver a superb cross, which Ruben van Bommel headed back for Ricardo Pepi to finish from close range inside five minutes.
The Amsterdammers recovered after a difficult opening spell and created several chances, with Tolu Arokodare proving an effective focal point. His persistence paid off when he scored while off balance during a scramble in the box. Steven Berghuis then had an excellent opportunity to make it 2–1, but PSV regained the lead just before half‑time. A loose ball from a corner fell to Geertruida, who volleyed into the far corner to take the lead into the break.
The second half remained open, with chances for both sides. Julian Brandt fired over, while PSV continued to threaten. Ajax manager Míchel Sánchez introduced Marcos Leonardo, Sofyan Amrabat, Kasper Dolberg and Viktor Tsygankov in search of a breakthrough, but the equaliser never came.
In the 78th minute, the match descended into chaos. Van Bommel went in aggressively during an aerial duel, injuring Bouwman and triggering a scuffle. This force Ajax into a fifth substitution. Thilo Kehrer made his debut, while Abdellah Ouazane had already come on earlier. The incident caused a five‑minute delay, compounded by another confrontation near the benches involving Owen Wijndal and Geertruida.
Ajax were given seven minutes of added time but could not find a way back. Instead, PSV sealed the win through Esmir Bajraktarević, who struck late to make it 3-1 and secure all three points for the Eindhoven side. The bad blood between the sides has only intensified after this match and the Van Bommel incident.
Excelsior claimed a convincing victory over Willem II, leaving the Tilburg side still searching for their first league win. For the Rotterdam club, it marked their third victory of the season and they took the lead early on. Irakli Yegoian delivered a precise cross that David Garden tapped in with ease. The Tilburg side nearly equalised moments later when Devin Haen found himself in a good position after strong work from Eric da Silva Moreira, but he failed to convert. After fifteen minutes, Yegoian almost caught goalkeeper Maxime Delanghe off guard, though the Belgian reacted just in time.
Chances remained limited until Rick Meissen doubled the lead from a corner, heading in confidently. Excelsior continued to dominate but couldn’t find a third goal before the break, sending both teams into half time with a 2-0 scoreline.
Willem II pushed forward after the interval in search of a lifeline. Uriel van Aalst came close with a header from a corner in the 57th minute, but his effort drifted just wide. Garden later tried his luck from long range, though his attempt also missed the target.
In the 68th minute, Willem II appealed for a penalty, but both the referee and VAR dismissed the claim. Manchester United loanee Chidozie Obi made his debut late on, yet he was unable to influence the match. In the closing stages, Yegoian struck again to seal the win.
Excelsior’s strong start continues under Ruben den Uil, with three wins from four matches. Willem II, newly promoted this season, remain winless and still waiting for their first victory.
(1-3 at the time of the match stoppage)
The match between FC Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles was abandoned after just under an hour when fireworks were thrown onto the pitch. Moments earlier, white protest cloths had appeared in the stands. Utrecht were trailing by three goals at the time, and most supporters reacted angrily to the incident. Referee Martin van den Kerkhof halted the match immediately.
Tensions had already been rising throughout the week. Several protest banners had been displayed at Stadion Galgenwaard, with many hardcore supporters directing their frustration at technical director Jordy Zuidam. During the stoppage, analyst Mario Been voiced his disapproval live on ESPN, calling the behaviour “ridiculous” and stressing that it helped the club in no way.
This was not the first fireworks‑related incident of the season. On 23rd August, the SC Cambuur-Feyenoord match had been temporarily stopped after fireworks were thrown from the away section, injuring seven Cambuur supporters.
Go Ahead Eagles took the lead after 18 minutes when Viktor Edvardsen slipped in Mathis Suray, who blasted home from outside the area. Utrecht stopper Vasilis Barkas just looked on in disbelief. Early in the second half, just four minutes after the restart, Søren Tengstedt doubled the advantage with his fourth goal of the season. The Danish winger is in a rich vein of form. He had scored only four goals in 41 league matches for the Eagles prior to this campaign.
Just before the hour mark, Edvardsen got on the scoresheet himself receiving a perfect ball from Tengstedt for his third goal of the campaign. Then the trouble in the stands started. After around fifteen minutes, the match resumed, accompanied by a stern announcement over the stadium speakers.
However, the game was abandoned again shortly after the restart. Dani de Wit had scored to make it 3-1 moments and then cups were thrown onto the pitch just three minutes into play, prompting a second stoppage. With repeated misconduct from the stands, the match was permanently halted after 64 minutes.
Utrecht issued a strong statement condemning the behaviour, calling the evening’s events “terrible” and emphasising that throwing fireworks endangered players, staff, and supporters. General Manager Edo Keuning stressed that such actions had nothing to do with supporting the club and highlighted that thousands of fans had behaved properly. Utrecht will review camera footage to identify those responsible and take appropriate measures. The remainder of the match will be played on Tuesday, 8th September at 14:00, following consultation with the municipality of Utrecht, it has been announced that the match will resume behind closed doors from the exact moment it was suspended.
Groningen and Twente played out a 2–2 draw on Sunday afternoon, with all four goals arriving in a lively first half. Wout Weghorst rescued a point for John van den Brom’s side just before the interval, and after the break the match lost much of its earlier intensity.
The clash at the Euroborg began at a frantic pace as the big man Weghorst missed a big early chance but made amends in the sixth minute, passing to Marko Pjaca, who finished well to give Twente the lead. Groningen hit back quickly with a slice of fortune. Younes Taha squandered a huge one‑on‑one opportunity against Etiënne Vaessen, and from that resulting counter‑attack Thom van Bergen scored his third goal of the season to level the match.
Ten minutes later, Groningen completed the turnaround when Tygo Land struck to make it 2–1. The PSV loanee hit a right footed effort from outside the area, which hit Robin Propper and wrong footed goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall into the goal. But just before half‑time, Twente equalised again. Taha was given far too much space to deliver a cross, and Weghorst finished from close range to bring the score level.
The second half produced a handful of half‑chances but never matched the excitement of the opening 45 minutes. Weghorst came close to converting a fine cross from Bart van Rooij and briefly clashed with Vaessen after a dangerous moment in the box. Groningen nearly snatched a winner when a deflected effort from Tika de Jonge almost looped into the net. The draw leaves both Groningen and Twente on seven points, though Twente have played one match fewer.
Wonderful scenes unfolded at Velsen‑Zuid on Sunday.
While trailing 2-0, Telstar were awarded a penalty, and just as on the final day of last season, goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr. stepped forward. With the crowd chanting for their cult hero, Koeman calmly placed the ball and slotted it low into the corner.
Koeman Jr. had already proven his nerve from the spot last year, scoring the decisive penalty away at FC Volendam that kept Telstar in the Eredivisie. On Sunday, the supporters immediately called for him again, and “the specialist,” as ESPN commentator Martijn van Zijtveld dubbed him, did not disappoint. He beat Thijs Janssen with ease, remaining ice‑cold despite the growing legend around him.
What followed next was historic.
Koeman Jr. converted not one but two penalties, becoming the first goalkeeper ever to score twice in a single Dutch top‑flight match. His goals dragged Telstar back from a seemingly hopeless position and earned The White Lions a dramatic late point.
Telstar had been reduced to ten men in the 22nd minute when Nokkvi Thorisson was shown a straight red card by referee Joey Kooij, for high challenge on Cambuur defender Billy van Duijl. However, Telstar didn’t find an opening until the 53th minute, when Rafik El Arguioui notched his fourth goal of the season. Seven minutes later it was 2-0 when Nicolas Binder shot straight inside the left post.
Then two spot‑kicks changed everything. Just three minutes after Cambuur went 2-0 up, Koeman buried the first, after Van Duijl condeded a penalty. Kooij, who had awarded four penalties last week in the PEC Zwolle-NEC game, gave Telstar a spot kick in the 90th minute but VAR reversed the decision. Then ten minutes into stoppage time, Mathieu Maertens was deemed to handball in the area and Kooij pointed to the spot again. The crowd popped as Koeman jogged up the field to step up again in the 101st minute under immense pressure. With Telstar desperate for an equaliser, he kept his composure and scored, completing an extraordinary night.
After the match, Koeman Jr. spoke with ESPN: “I’m at the top of the list, you saw that,” he said. “I can take a good penalty and I have confidence, so no doubt.” He admitted he took a moment before the second kick as Cambuur players tried to unsettle him. “They start talking to you, but you won’t get me worked up. Just take a moment for yourself and focus.”
There was even a moment of confusion before VAR intervened, with Telstar initially thinking they might receive a free kick instead of a second penalty. Koeman laughed: “I thought maybe I’d take the free kick too. But everyone already said it was on target.”. He placed both penalties in the same corner. “Maybe I should change that,” he joked. “But if it’s hard, they can’t reach it.”
Leeroy Echteld’s substitutions proved decisive as AZ defeated Heerenveen on Sunday afternoon. Ayoub Oufkir, brought on in the 82nd minute, needed barely half a minute to score the winning goal. Earlier, Mexx Meerdink had already produced a stunning equaliser.
The first half at the Abe Lenstra Stadium was lively and evenly matched. Ro‑Zangelo Daal put AZ ahead in just the seventh minute, but Heerenveen responded impressively. Nolhan Courtens levelled the score, and Ringo Meerveld completed the turnaround half an hour in, giving Robin Veldman’s side a 2–1 lead at the break.
AZ had to wait until the 69th minute to find an equaliser — and it was worth the wait. Debutant Valdemar Byskov slipped the ball to Meerdink, who curled a superb left‑footed strike into the far corner to make it 2–2. The visitors then struck again in dramatic fashion. Echteld introduced Oufkir in the 82nd minute, and seconds later Meerdink released him through on goal. One‑on‑one with Bernt Klaverboer, Oufkir stayed ice‑cold and slotted home.
Heerenveen pushed hard in the dying moments and created two big chances, but AZ goalkeeper Jari de Busser survived both scares. With the win, AZ have now won five in five, move to 15 points and leapfrogged PSV back into first place, while Heerenveen remain on five points.
The surprise package so far, Fortuna Sittard, claimed another victory in the final game of the weekend in Den Haag. Fortuna built on a comfortable lead before half‑time and extending it again after the break. Mohamed Ihattaren was the star of the match, producing two goals and an assist as Fortuna controlled the decisive moments.
ADO saw plenty of the ball early on but struggled to create any real danger. Fortuna stayed compact and struck after just under half an hour, when Ihattaren’s shot took a deflection and wrong‑footed goalkeeper Kilian Nikiema for 1-0. Five minutes later, Ihattaren delivered a perfect cross that Lequincio Zeefuik headed in, doubling the lead and putting Fortuna firmly in control.
Forced to chase the game after the interval, ADO finally found a breakthrough in the 59th minute. Evan Rottier’s sharp move ended with Yannick Eduardo, who finished to claw a goal back, but ADO’s hope was short‑lived. Ihattaren soon cut inside into space and unleashed a powerful strike that Nikiema could not stop, restoring Fortuna’s two‑goal cushion.
ADO pushed hard in the closing stages and came close when Illaijh de Ruijter’s shot struck the post after a swift counter‑attack. Moments later, they did pull one back: Jesse Bal met a cross with a well‑placed header, reducing the deficit to 2–3 and briefly reigniting belief in a late comeback. Despite ADO’s pressure, Fortuna held their ground in the final minutes. The equaliser never arrived, and the Limburgers left The Hague with all three points.
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