AZ draw with Ajax, PSV held

Eredivisie leaders AZ Alkmaar and fourth-placed Ajax battled out a 1-1 draw in a match marred by heavy winds at the AFAS Stadion this afternoon. Rasmus Elm gave the hosts a 37th-minute lead with a free-kick but the Amsterdammers levelled 15 minutes from time through Simon Poulsen's own goal. The result meant second-placed PSV Eindhoven, who kicked off soon after the match in Alkmaar finished, could have gone top with victory at FC Utrecht but they too were held to a 1-1 draw. The goals arrived in the space of six second-half minutes, Stefano Lilipaly putting Utrecht ahead in the 66th minute only for Ola Toivonen to salvage a point for PSV. Elsewhere, Ismo Vorstermans volleyed in the winner as VVV-Venlo boosted their survival prospects by coming from behind to beat sixth-spotted Feyenoord 2-1. The game began well enough for the Rotterdammers when Bruno Martins Indi tucked in a close-range opening goal, but Bryan Linssen got the hosts level after 40 minutes and then defender Vorstermans produced an acrobatic winner on the stroke of half-time. FC Groningen also fought back from a half-time deficit against Heracles Almelo to continue their solid recent form with a 2-1 triumph. Heracles took a 16th-minute lead through Glynor Plet but the home side drew level soon after the break thanks to David Texeira before Virgil van Dijk netted what would prove to be the winning goal in the 61st minute. In the early kick-off, NEC Nijmegen were 1-0 winners at fierce rivals Vitesse Arnhem for the first time since 1979 thanks to Leroy George's second-half goal.