Ajax beat AZ, PSV lead in Dutch league

The Hague, Dec 18 : AFC Ajax defeated AZ 2-1 in Alkmaar, winning the battle for the second place in the Dutch Eredivisie football league behind leaders PSV Eindhoven halfway through the season.

After a hand ball by Deyovaisio Zeefuik, AZ were awarded a penalty, which was converted by Alireza Jahanbakhsh on Sunday. A few minutes from half-time, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar equalized after a pass by David Neres, reports Xinhua news agency.

A penalty decided the match in the second half. Pantelis Hatzidiakos brought down Huntelaar and Lasse Schone handed Ajax the 2-1 victory in Alkmaar.

Defending champions Feyenoord booked an emphatic 7-0 win in the Rotterdam derby away against Sparta, who suffered their biggest home defeat ever in Dutch professional league. 

Tonny Vilhena (twice), Dylan Vente, Steven Berghuis, Bilal Basacikoglu, Renato Tapia and Jerry St. Juste scored. A few hours later Sparta fired coach Alex Pastoor.

After two winless matches, league leaders PSV needed a win against ADO Den Haag on Saturday.

Luuk de Jong tipped in the opening goal in the fifth minute and with help from ADO defender Nick Kuipers he added a second two minutes later. Marco van Ginkel produced the third goal from the penalty spot: 3-0.

PSV now lead the Eredivisie table halfway with 43 points from 17 matches and with one match round remaining in 2017 PSV are already certain of entering the new year as unofficial winter champions, as leaders. 

Ajax follow on five points, ahead of AZ, PEC Zwolle and Feyenoord.