The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsIt was an great but underwhelming start to the Eredivisie season as plenty of goals were scored in the games played but only four games featured as five games were postponed due to police strikers in the Netherlands. Here is your Eredivisie Review:
AZ 0-3 Ajax
Title hopefuls Ajax got off to a great start with a win against fellow title rivals AZ. Ajax were in control for most the game and AZ rarely came close to scoring. Promising Dutch youngster El Ghazi was the star of the show as he scored two goals to lead Ajax to victory.
El Ghazi found the net after 14 minutes with a fantastic strike that found the top corner and the youngster further added to his tally with an impressive header as he rose high to convert from a cross by former AZ captain Nemanja Gudelj.
And it was then the former AZ captain that would wrap the game up in style before the first-half was even over with a breathtaking strike from 30 yards out which the keeper should have done better with but take nothing away from Gudelj, it was a great goal.
A very poor start for AZ has left them worrying about what lies ahead after a raft of first-team players left in the summer window.
Feyenoord 3-2 FC Utrecht
A superbly well-contested game with a cliché ending. The perfect start for Feyenoord as they aim to battle for the title this season after a disappointing campaign in 2014/15.
It was Colin-Kazim Richards that gave Feyenoord the lead within the first half hour as he rose to meet Marko Vejinovic’s cross.
Feyenoord were in cruise control, dominating possession and chances. Utrecht found it hard to break through until young right-back Rick Karsdorp was sent-off for a challenge on Christian Kum. Utrecht took full advantage and equalised in the 75th minute through Sebastian Haller.
Feyenoord were quick to take the lead again as Karim El Ahmadi drifted the ball in towards Tony Vilhena who found the net with ease with a simple tap-in. And the three points were sealed by the prodigal son, Dirk Kuyt, from 12-yards-out as he converted a penalty after Bilal Basacikoglu had been tripped inside the box.
Utrecht pulled one back, late on, through Haller again from the spot however it was too late and Feyenoord walked away with all three points.
Roda JC 3-1 Heracles
Roda JC returned to the Eredivisie in style as they won convincingly against fellow relegation rivals Heracles.
Heracles took the lead early on in the 30th minute through Ilias Bel Hassani however Roda JC bounced back and claimed all three points thanks to goals from Edwin Gyasi, Tom van Hyfte and Hicham Faik.
Gyasi proved to be a menace for Heracles as they failed to deal with his tricky footwork and pace. He equalised for Roda JC after a fantastic run and finish.
And after Gyasi’s header hit the post one minute into the second-half, it was Tom van Hyfte who was there to claim the rebound as Roda JC took the lead for the first-time.
Roda JC sealed the win in the dying embers of the game as Hicham Faik fired a fierce strike beyond the despaired Bram Castro.
Willem II 1-1 Vitesse
A game that was previously scheduled to be postponed ended up taking place and it was a game that would end with both teams taking away a point on the opening day.
Erik Falkenburg converted from a corner midway through the second half and Vitesse had doubts over whether they were going to get back into the game.
Vitesse equalised through Denis Oliynyk who managed to fire a shot past Kostas Lamprou at the far post however Oliynyk went from hero to villain as he was sent-off soon after for an elbow on Justin Mathieu.
However, despite going down to ten men, the away team managed to hold on for an all-important draw.
